London Handel Festival 2017

When George Frideric Handel settled into his elegant and handy house at 25 Brook Street, in the heart of Mayfair, his future in London was secured. And by the time of his death there in 1759 he had survived fast-changing fashions and tastes in music, constantly adopting and adapting to retain audiences, and leaving a colossal back catalogue of work, notably Messiah, and many operas, orchestral pieces, oratorios and works for soloists and small ensembles.

Every year the London Handel Festival celebrates not only his vast and engaging output, but also his practice of encouraging new young performers. Past winners and finalists of the prestigious Handel Singing Competition, now in its 15th year, frequently appear at the festival on their international performing circuit. On 27 March a concert at Cadogan Hall, Mr Handel's Scholars, reunites some, including the soprano Ruby Hughes and the counter-tenor Iestyn Davies.

Highlights of this year's festival include Handel's love triangle opera Faramondo (20-25 March), in the Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music, the finals of this year's competition, at St George's, Hanover Square (4 April), and Opera Settecento's pasticcio opera Ormisda (28 March, St George's, Hanover Square) – called pasticcio because it was made of bits and pieces, like a recipe: Handel never wasted anything...

One of the most-loved works by Handel's contemporary JS Bach, his St Matthew Passion, is sung on Good Friday, 14 April, at Handel's church, St George's, Hanover Square, when festival musical director Laurence Cummings conducts the London Handel Orchestra the choir of St George's and soloists, including George Humphreys (bass) as Christus.

And if all that singing makes you want to join in, you can: at Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair (18 March) amateur singers can bowl up for a couple of rehearsals and prepare to give a concert that very night, at 6pm. The Coronation Anthems on the bill include Zadok the Priest, sung at every coronation since that of George II – who hurried through Handel's application for British nationality so that he could be his composer of choice.

There are also lunchtime concerts for nearby shoppers and workers, organ recitals and guided walks of all corners of London, with Georgian themes.

All in all, the London Handel Festival is the place to be to catch the hottest performers working in this repertoire – and the rising stars to watch.

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Booking opens on 31 January. Click here for more details.