Vocalists who worked with Handel

1. Durastanti, Margherita.; soprano. She sang the title role in the first performance of Handel's Agrippina in Venice (1709), and was in his opera company in London in 1720-24 and 1733/34, when her voice became a mezzo-sopranos.

2. Reinhold, Thomas; bass. A German, and the son of the Archbishop of Dresden, he settled in London about 1731. He was Handel's principal bass and all the principal bass parts in the oratorios between Israel in Egypt and Theodora (except Messiah) were written for him.

3. Beard, John; tenor. He joined Handel's company in 1734 and was his first tenor from 1734-1747, and 1752-59. He was the leading English singer of his day and the role of Samson was written for him. He was one of Handel's most prized singers.

4. Avolio, Christina Maria  (soprano), She seems to have come to London about 1740. Handel took her to Dublin, and she presumably sang in all the works he performed there, including L'Allegro, Acis and Galatea, Esther, Alexander's Feast, Messiah, and Saul (Michal).

5. Cibber, Susanna Maria; contralto. Sister of Thomas Arne, she began her singing career as Galatea in Arne's pirated performance of Acis and Galatea. She became a famous tragic actress, especially in Shakespeare and sang in all of Handel's oratorio performances when he was in Dublin in the year 1741/42. The part of Daniel in Belshazzar was written for her.

6. Williams; tenor. Handel cast him  for one of the Israelites in Esther in 1740.

7. Lowe, Thomas; tenor. In Handel's company 1743 ( with John Beard) and 1748-51 he was the principal tenor.

8. Barrow, Thomas; countertenor. He led  Handel's choral altos, singing in the Foundling Hospital Messiah in 1754, 1758, and 1759.

9. Cox, John; bass. A regular member of Handel's chorus, he sang Habdonah in Esther in 1751.

10. Montagnana, Antonio; bass. In Handel's company 1731-33 and 1737-38. The part of Abner in Athalia was written for him.

11. Hill, John   (bass)

12. Dotti, Anna

13. Strada del Po, Maria; soprano. Handel's prima donna from 1729 till the summer of 1737. Handle is said to have taken great care in composing for her that "from a coarse singer with a fine voice, he rendered equal at least to the first performer in Europe".

14. Mingotti, Regina

15. Ricciarelli, Giuseppe

16. Mattei, Colomba

17. Bernardi, Francesco; alto (castrato). Known as Senesino. In Handel's company from 1720-28 and 1730-33. Handel wrote more for him than for him than for any other castrato, but his arrogance and quarrelsomeness led to the famous split of 1733.

18. Cuzzoni, Francesca

19. Salvai, Maria Maddalena

20. Polani, Girolamo (castrato)

21. Pilotti, Isabella

22. d'Alay, Mauro

23. Abell, John  (countertenor)

24. Abbot, John; bass. In Handel's company 1743, when he was to have sung the Attendant on Athalia in a planned revival of that oratorio. The principal bass solos in the Dettingen Te Deum were written for him.

25. Aldwin; countertenor. Probably a chorus leader in Acis and Galatea 1741.

26. Andreoni; soprano (castrato). In England c. 1739-42, in Handel's company for the season 1740/41, when he sang (in Italian) in L'Allegro, Acis and Galatea (Acia), and Saul (David), as well as the operas Imeneo and Deidamia and probably Il Paranasso in Festa.

27. Annibali,  Domenico; alto (castrato). In England Oct. 1736-June 1737, when he appeared in five Handel operas and Esther (Ahasuerus). Handel wrote a part for him alone in the 1737 revival of Alexander's Feast.

28. Beralto; soprano. A member of the Haymarket Opera company in 1756/57. She sang Deceit in The Triumph of Time and Truth in 1757, and in Esther the same year.

29. Carestini,Giovanni; alto (castrato). In Handel's company 1733-35 replacing Senesino.

30. Bertolli, Francesca; contralto.  In Handel's Opera company 1729-33 and 1736/37, and she usually performed male parts, and was reknowned for physical rather than vocal excellence.

31. Calori, Angiola; soprano. A member of the Haymarket Opera company 1758. She had done Samson and Messiah in 1759.

32. Chimenti, Margherita; soprano. Known as La Droghierina. She was a member of Handel's Opera company in 1737/38.

33. Frasi, Giulia; soprano. Joined the Haymarket Opera company in 1742 and continued to appear there while singing oratorio under Handel.  She was his Prima Donna from 1749 until his death, and he trained throughout the beginnings of her career.

34. Guadagni, Gaetano; alto (castrato) He came to England in 1748 as leading man of an Italian comic opera company, and probably stayed until 1754 or 1755. Handel was impressed with his sound and he was given parts in Messiah and Samson which had been originally composed for Mrs. Cibber.