Cincinnati Opera and 90.9 WGUC present a special encore presentation of Hallelujah Handel. Hosted by Cincinnati Opera’s Evans Mirageas, this four-part series explores the life and work of George Frideric Handel, the first truly internationally successful composer, from his apprentice days in Rome to his creation of the phenomenon Messiah. Listen on 90.9 FM or wguc.org/listen Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. from November 30 through December 21.

Part II: Handel’s Singers

Not long after he took up residence in London, Handel started writing opera for the King’s Theatre on Haymarket. He quickly won the favor of the fickle English public with virtuoso writing for the operatic superstars of his day: sopranos and male sopranos (or castrati). Starting with Rinaldo in 1711, Handel would write operas for nearly three decades. He befriended, and wrote works specifically for, some of the legendary singers of the day: the rival sopranos Cuzzoni and Bordoni and the brilliant castrato Senesino, among others. Mirageas will cover the astonishing variety of Handel’s arias and duets with performances and stories from the great Handelians of our own day, including Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, and Andreas Scholl.