The operas of George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) had fallen into almost total neglect while the composer still lived, and most of the 42 surviving stage works never had many performances, as opposed to Handel's oratorios. Any occasional attempt to revive the operas resulted in curiosity but not a proper revival.

The great English conductor Sir Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) was among the few who was familiar with Handel's operas, owning thirty-seven of the forty-two surviving scores, which he an...