Water Music
The Water Music is a collection of orchestral movements, often published as three suites, composed by George Frideric Handel. It premiered on 17 July 1717, in response to King George I's request for a concert on the River Thames.
Semele (Handel)
Handel's last Italian opera, "Deidamia", was performed in 1741. After this time, he concentrated on oratorio and musical dramas with English texts. Many of these, including "Semele", were premiered at the Covent Garden Theatre, beginning with "Alexander's Feast" in 1736 and finishing with "The Triumph of Time and Truth" in 1757. As a result, in the early 1740s, oratorios at the Covent Garden Theatre were George Frideric Handel's chief activity. While most works had sacred or religious texts, two stand out for being secular: "Hercules" and "Semele".