简介：GeorgFriederichHändelwasnotonlyamusicalgeniusbutalsoagreatman.Hehadastrongpersonalityandwasnon-conformist,honest,outspoken,independentandunabletokowtowtotheservilityinthecourt. HändelwasachildprodigylikeMozarttheonlydifferencebeingthathisfatherwantedhimtobealawyerandthereforefoughtlittleGeorg’stalent.ForegoinghisformativeyearsinGermany,thestorybeginsinItaly,Romein1708,withtheperformanceoftheoratoriofromthe“Resurrection”inhispatronFrancescoMariaRuspoli’spalace.Handelis23,slim,blondandextremelyhandsome. InRomecardinalOttoboniorganisesamemorablemusiccompetitionbetweenthetwogreatestplayersofthetime,HandelandhiscontemporaryDomenicoScarlattiinhismagnificentresidence(PalazzodellaCancelleria). InDecember1709inVeniceHändel’ssuccesssealshisvalueasanexcellentoperawriterandpropelshimtowardsthemajorEuropeancourts.In1710hebecomesChapelmasteratthecourtofHanover,byfartooprovincialastageforsuchanemergingtalent. TheprinceofHanovergrantshimpermissiontotraveltoLondonontheagreementthathewouldreturn.ItistobeatemporarytransferbutturnsouttobedefinitiveasHandelsettlesinEngland,muchtothedisappointmentoftheElectorandhiscourt. OnAugust1st1714theElectorofHannoverascendsthethroneofEngland,thefirstmonarchoftheHouseofHanover,thusplacingHändelinanembarrassingposition. ThekinggrantsHändelforgivenessthankstoBaronKielmanseggandhewritestheWaterMusic,theworld-famousconcertcomposedtobeperformedtothecourtasitsaileddowntheThamesonabarge.AgrandeventtoglorifyGeorgeIcommissionedtotheonlymusiciandeemedtobeuptosuchmagnificence.Itwasanabsolutetriumph! Händlealsobecomesmusictutortotheking’schildrenandestablishesawonderfulrelationshipwithPrincessAnna,whohasatrueloveofandtalentformusic.TotheSaxoncomposersheisjustlikeadaughter. HändelmeetswithtruegloryinEnglandbutitisnotbychancethatheagainfallsoutofgracewhenPrincessAnnaleavesEnglandtomarryWilliamIVofOrange. Hisproverbialsenseofhumourkeepshiminhighspiritsandhelpshimelegantlyturntheattacksofhisrivalsanddetractorstohisfavour.Inanemptytheatrehesimplyencourageshisentourage“Letusplay,mymusicwillsoundbetterwithoutanaudience” Thelongincessantworkhours,theattacksfromthearistocracyandtheensuingdistressbringonanapoplecticfitwhichhemiraculouslyrecoversfrom.Thenhestartshavingseriousproblemswithhiseyesight.Anitinerantoculist,acharlatanbythenameofJohnTaylor(hehadalreadycausedJohannSebastianBachtogoblind)offerstooperateonHandelbutturnshimcompletelyblindusingunsterilizedsurgicalinstruments. ThefilmendswithHändelasanoldblindman,hiseyeshiddenbehinddarkenedlenses,dictatinghismemoirstohisbiographerMainwaring. HÄNDEL: “Itwaspredictablethattheaudiencewouldbemoved... lookingatanoldblindHandelashelistenedto Samson,blindedbythePhilistines,singing"TotalEclipse!" Butthateveningsomethinguncannyhappened... JohnBeardsanginthatwaythatescapesournaturallaws"...…