Bach, Handel, and Hercules by Händel, Bach, J. S., Vin 24 Sept. 2021, De la (2021/2021), Dirijor Matthew Dirst, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Houston, United States

The iconic strongman Hercules earned his place in the pantheon not through conquests but rather for his wisdom and honor. A pillar of mythology since Antiquity, Hercules faces a familiar dilemma, one that found significant resonance in the Baroque era, when ancient stories were a principal source of moral instruction. Both composers treat Hercules’ temptation and ultimate embrace of virtue with ravishing arias and grand ensembles.