HANDEL’S PERSUASIVENESS

Baroque opera stars could be… a lot. Handel was one of the composers who helped end the era when singers ruled the rehearsal room. When the castrato Carestini received the gorgeous aria “Verdi prati” in *Alcina*, he sent it back, claiming it was too trivial for him.

Handel reportedly stormed in and made the terms simple: sing what I write, or you don’t get paid. And that wasn’t a one‑off. At another rehearsal, soprano Cuzzoni refused an aria; legend says Handel grabbed her, hauled her toward an open window, and threatened to toss her out unless she sang. She immediately found her enthusiasm. Not exactly modern rehearsal etiquette—but it shows who was in charge.