The London Handel Players
| Date | Friday 20 November 2026 |
| Time | 18.30 - 19.30 GMT (drinks and exhibition visit until 20.45) |
| Location | At the museum (Great Gallery) |
| Performers and Speakers | The London Handel Players directed by Adrian Butterfield with Sofia Kirwan-Baez, soprano |
This concert is a celebration of the restoration of a painting in the Collection by the artist Carle Vanloo, The Grand Turk giving a concert to his mistress, c.1737, features a soprano singing an aria by Handel from his opera Admeto (1727).
In 1733 Vanloo married the celebrated opera singer, Christina Antonia Somis (1704-1785), and she featured as the singer is this painting. Christina was the daughter of the celebrated violinist, Giovanni Battista Somis (1686-1763), who flourished in Turin. Somis had studied under the great Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) and had a number of important students of his own including Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764) and Jean-Pierre Guignon (1704-1774).
This programme will feature Handel arias, including the one depicted in the painting, sung by the exciting young soprano, Sofia Kirwan-Baez, as well as solo works by Somis, Leclair and Guignon performed by The London Handel Players directed from the violin by Adrian Butterfield.
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| Date | Friday 20 November 2026 |
| Time | 18.30 - 19.30 GMT (drinks and exhibition visit until 20.45) |
| Location | At the museum (Great Gallery) |
| Performers and Speakers | The London Handel Players directed by Adrian Butterfield with Sofia Kirwan-Baez, soprano |
This concert is a celebration of the restoration of a painting in the Collection by the artist Carle Vanloo, The Grand Turk giving a concert to his mistress, c.1737, features a soprano singing an aria by Handel from his opera Admeto (1727).
In 1733 Vanloo married the celebrated opera singer, Christina Antonia Somis (1704-1785), and she featured as the singer is this painting. Christina was the daughter of the celebrated violinist, Giovanni Battista Somis (1686-1763), who flourished in Turin. Somis had studied under the great Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) and had a number of important students of his own including Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764) and Jean-Pierre Guignon (1704-1774).
This programme will feature Handel arias, including the one depicted in the painting, sung by the exciting young soprano, Sofia Kirwan-Baez, as well as solo works by Somis, Leclair and Guignon performed by The London Handel Players directed from the violin by Adrian Butterfield.
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