Royal Fireworks Music, Overture and Peace

We meet Orlando, a young teenager whose soul is “made from two forces, feminine and masculine. Two equal forces. Only whose coexistence could allow for creation.” In awe of nature and human emotion, the young poet moors his heart to a large oak tree.

He will soon meet one of the most important figures in his very long life, Queen Elizabeth I. Handel’s famous orchestral suite, Royal Fireworks, sets the scene for the royal court. There’s a wrinkle in time here, as the composer arrived at the English court over a century after the Queen’s reign had ended. But this music, now etched in history, beautifully illustrates the power dynamics that shaped its creation and the influence royalty wielded over artistic production.

Commissioned by King George II, Handel was limited to writing exclusively for wind instruments and percussion, which did not align with his artistic preferences. His Majesty wanted only military instruments. As a result, the composer had to comply with the King’s wishes but later rearranged Royal Fireworks for a full orchestra. This is the version you’ll be hearing at the concert.

As she supports the careers of countless musicians and composers, Elizabeth I takes Orlando under her wing. She grants him land, brings him into her court, and spares him from military service and war to keep him by her side. Feeling betrayed by men—“those whose only qualification is to not be born women”—she dies during a harsh winter in London during a grand carnival, which she had organized.