The English Concert: Handel’s Hercules
Friday 20 March 2026
7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Join The English Concert for Handel’s powerful and moving opera, Hercules, a timeless story of love, jealousy, and betrayal. Fresh from his triumphant return from battle, the great hero Hercules is celebrated, but his victory is overshadowed by a tragic twist of fate. His wife, Dejanira, portrayed by Ann Hallenberg, is consumed by a mistrustful jealousy that unleashes a chain of events, ultimately bringing the mighty hero to his knees.
With its soaring arias and powerful choruses, this opera is a masterclass in dramatic storytelling. The stellar cast includes soprano Hilary Cronin as the captive Iole and acclaimed countertenor Hugh Cutting as the devoted Lichas. Thomas Broughton’s libretto draws from Ovid and Sophocles, reminding us that even the strongest and most celebrated can be undone by the most human of emotions.
Conductor Harry Bicket leads The English Concert in this stunning performance, collaborating once again with New York’s sensational The Clarion Choir. Together, with this renowned line-up of Handel singers, they bring this emotionally charged work to life. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience one of Handel’s most compelling operas.
Please note this performance will last for approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, including interval.
For more information about your visit, please see our FAQ page.
Handel Hercules
William Guanbo Su Hercules
Ann Hallenberg Dejanira
Hilary Cronin Iole
Hugh Cutting Lichas
David Portillo Hyllus
The Clarion Choir
The English Concert
Harry Bicket conductor
Dates, Times & Book
| Fri 20 Mar | 7:00 PM | £55/£40/£30/£20/£10/£65 | Book |
Share this event
Other things to do
Come and Sing: Extracts from Duruflé's Requiem
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Join Jennifer Sterling for an afternoon workshop to rehearse extracts from Duruflé's Requiem. This will be followed by an informal performance at 4pm which is open for all to attend.
Come and Sing: Extracts from Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Join Jennifer Sterling for an afternoon workshop to rehearse extracts from Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man. This will be followed by an informal performance at 4pm which is open for all to attend.
Come and Sing: Classic Choral Anthems
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Join Jennifer Sterling for an afternoon workshop to rehearse Classic Choral Anthems. This will be followed by an informal performance at 4pm which is open for all to attend.
Vivaldi Four Seasons by Candlelight
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Violinist Miki Takahashi performs Vivaldi’s much-loved Four Seasons with Baroque Chamber Orchestra of London, alongside other works by Mozart and Bach.
The Sixteen: Choral Pilgrimage 2026 - Lead, Kindly Light
7:30 pm - 9:15 pm
Spain’s Siglo de Oro, the Age of Gold, gave rise to some of the greatest sacred choral music of the Renaissance. The Sixteen and Harry Christophers devote their latest Choral Pilgrimage to pieces by two outstanding Spanish composers.