Freakonomics Radio

656. How Handel Got His Mojo Back

December 12, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • George Frideric Handel's trip to Dublin in 1741, where he premiered *Messiah* as a charity event, served as a crucial financial and artistic 'resurrection' following his struggles with the expensive London opera scene. 
  • Handel's cosmopolitan musical style, shaped by his early exposure to music publishing in Halle, his time in Hamburg opera, and his crucial years composing for secular audiences in Italy, allowed him to develop a unique, cosmopolitan sound. 
  • Handel's financial acumen, evidenced by his early assertion of copyright and his later shift from costly opera subscriptions to less expensive, profitable English oratorios like *Messiah*, was essential to his late-career success. 

Segments

Handel’s Unlikely Trip to Dublin
Copied to clipboard!
(00:01:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Handel traveled to Dublin for a series of concerts because he was offered payment, a rare opportunity given his financial state.
  • Summary: Discusses why Handel, a London superstar, went to Dublin for concerts, noting the financial incentive and that Messiah was intended as a charity performance.
Delay and Rehearsal in Chester
Copied to clipboard!
(00:02:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Handel was delayed in Chester due to rough seas, providing an opportunity for local rumors about Messiah rehearsals to persist.
  • Summary: Details Handel’s travel delays in Chester, including the story involving the organist Edmund Baker and the singer Mr. Janssen’s poor sight-reading.
Handel’s Early Life and Influences
Copied to clipboard!
(00:07:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Handel’s early life in Halle and subsequent time in Italy exposed him to diverse musical traditions that shaped his cosmopolitan style.
  • Summary: Compares Handel and Bach’s backgrounds, discusses Handel’s education, his time in Hamburg opera, and how his Italian experience influenced his melodic fluidity.
Entrepreneurial Muscle in London Opera
Copied to clipboard!
(00:13:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Handel was a risk-taking entrepreneur who had to exercise significant business acumen managing his opera companies in London.
  • Summary: Covers Handel launching the Royal Academy, competing with the Opera of the Nobility, and anecdotes illustrating his temper with expensive Italian singers.
Handel’s Financial Collapse and Departure
Copied to clipboard!
(00:31:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The expensive nature of opera production bankrupted Handel’s ventures, leading to him losing all his savings by 1738 and leaving London in 1741.
  • Summary: Details the financial drain of opera, showing Handel’s bank accounts dwindling from £700/year salary to having £50 left, coinciding with health issues.
The Dublin Debut and Immediate Success
Copied to clipboard!
(00:48:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The premiere of Messiah in Dublin was a massive, astonishing success, generating significant funds for Handel.
  • Summary: Describes the excitement in Dublin, the request for attendees to leave swords and hoops behind, and the public reaction of ‘astonishment and wonder’.
Financial Resurrection via Dublin
Copied to clipboard!
(00:50:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The Dublin trip was a financial and energetic resurrection for Handel, evidenced by his immediate opening of a new annuity account with £1,600 upon return.
  • Summary: Ellen Harris analyzes Handel’s finances post-Dublin, showing he went from having no bank account to securing significant wealth, allowing him to reject opera.
Messiah and the Foundling Hospital
Copied to clipboard!
(00:53:57)
  • Key Takeaway: Handel found his lasting success in London by aligning Messiah with the popular charity of the Foundling Hospital, performing it annually.
  • Summary: Explains how Messiah became a hit in London only when performed as a charity event, seeing the children beneficiaries and the elite audience.