Il Trionfo

Few conductors on the early music scene have had such a profound influence on the interpretation of 17th- and 18th-century music as René Jacobs: under his artistic direction, the Innsbrucker Festwochen became an internationally renowned event. For the anniversary year 2026, the Belgian had selected Handel’s first oratorio, "La Bellezza ravveduta nel Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno", in collaboration with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and a select ensemble of soloists.

Unfortunately, for health reasons, Jacobs has now had to cancel his participation with a heavy heart. At his personal request, Attilio Cremonesi will assume the musical direction of Il Trionfo. The two have a long-standing working relationship – including at the Festwochen – and, as Artistic Director of the Halle Handel Festival Orchestra, Cremonesi is a proven Handel specialist.

This masterpiece by the "caro Sassone", as Händel’s Italian contemporaries affectionately called him, explores the allegorical confrontation between vanity and transience. When Bellezza (Beauty) yields to the temptations of Piacere (Pleasure), she is ultimately guided by Tempo (Time) and Disinganno (Disillusionment or Enlightenment) toward self-knowledge. Ingeniously constructed and subtly characterised, the oratorio reveals Händel’s unmistakable flair as a dramatist. Among its many treasures are some of his most unforgettable melodies – none more so than the timeless aria "Lascia la spina".