Travel tips for opera lovers – Halle and Handel

Handel in Halle

The series about historical places of opera art & culture. Get to know exciting excursion and travel ideas for opera lovers. This time: Handel in Halle

All Destinations on google maps with links to detailed Blogposts:

Handel in Halle

Handel grew up in Halle until the age of 18. At the suggestion of the duke, who heard the 7-year-old Georg-Frederic playing the organ, he enjoyed a sound musical education. After his only permanent employment of his life as a cathedral organist, he left his home for Hamburg forever in 1703. He was to see Halle only a handful of times while passing through.

Halle takes exemplary care of the memory of its famous son, various events and the lavishly renovated Handel House bear witness to this.

Destination Handel House (Museum)

The house where Handel was born was acquired by the city of Halle in the 20th century and thoroughly renovated in 2009. Handel left nothing personal in the city of Halle, and the museum’s focus is on an inspiring collection of period instruments and documentation of his career. Very informative. There are also regular music performances in the house, consult homepage.

Handel House:

https://haendelhaus.de/en/hh/homepage

Destinations  Händel Events, Opera House Halle

Since 1952, the Handel Festival (hfs) Halle has been held at the end of May or beginning of June with an extensive program; every year at least one opera is given at the Halle Opera House. This is accompanied by the annual “Happy Birthday Handel”, where choirs sing at various venues during the week of his birthday (February 23), culminating in the Saturday performance of Messiah at the Georg Frederic Handel Hall.

https://haendelhaus.de/de/hfs/startseite

http://www.happy-birthday-handel.de/

https://buehnen-halle.de/start

Destination Handel Monument

Centrally on the market square you can see the majestic monument of Handel, created on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his death in 1859. Handel’s gaze is directed towards London, his back turned away from the university (he had to study law). In one hand he holds the baton in the other the sheet music of his Messiah.

Handel monument market square:

Destination Marktkirche

This impressive church in the city center stands out with its 4 towers, which come from the two original churches. Even more impressive is its history, here Luther is said to have preached repeatedly and Handel was bapized and later trained on the small organ. Last but not least, none other than Johann Sebastian Bach had inaugurated the large organ (replaced in the 19th century) and one can find Luther’s death mask here.

Marktkirche Halle:

Destination Music in the Dome

Handel was employed here as an organist at the age of 17. This cathedral impresses not least with its acoustics. Note the music program.

Dome:

https://www.ekm-reformiert.de/domgemeinde-halle-startseite/

Destination Galgenberg

The Galgenberg (engl.: gallows hill) behind the Halle Zoo captivates with its view over Halle. In the Galgenbergschlucht, an old quarry, the open-air closing concerts of the Handel Festival take place here in impressive surroundings.

OpenAir Concert Galgenbergschlucht: