History of Medicine Section, Wednesday 22nd March 2017

22/03/2017 in Geoffrey Bourke Room, First Floor, Setanta House, Setanta Place, Dublin 2.

RAMI History of Medicine Section Meeting 

 The famine of 1741, Handel and the première of Messiah in Dublin: what’s the connection?

 Dr Jonathan Bardon  (President, Belfast Natural History & Philosophical Society)

Arctic conditions followed by storms and a drought led to a terrible famine sweeping across Ireland in 1741. As starving, fever-ridden families ranged through Dublin’s streets, the Charitable Musical Society for the Release of Imprisoned Debtors invited George Frideric Handel to come over from London to conduct a benefit concert of compositions of his own choosing in the Society’s new Musick Hall in Fishamble Street.  Handel accepted because, after many years of success, his career was faltering.  It was in this way that the sacred oratorio, Messiah, came to be given its first performance in Dublin on 13 April 1742.

RAMIBardon_Hist Med 22nd March 2017

Starting at 6:15pm in the Geoffrey Bourke Room, First Floor, Setanta House, Setanta Place, Dublin 2.