Editing Messiah (Handel) (section)

===Dublin, 1742===
[[File:Musick-hall-dublin.jpg|thumb|right|[[Neale's Musick Hall, Dublin|The Great Music Hall]] in Fishamble Street, Dublin, where ''Messiah'' was first performed]]
Handel's decision to give a season of concerts in Dublin in the winter of 1741–42 arose from an invitation from the [[William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire|Duke of Devonshire]], then serving as [[Lord Lieutenant of Ireland]].<ref name= Shaw24>Shaw, pp. 24–26</ref>  A violinist friend of Handel's, [[Matthew Dubourg]], was in Dublin as the Lord Lieutenant's bandmaster; he would look after the tour's orchestral requirements.<ref name= Cole>{{cite journal|last= Cole|first= Hugo |title= Handel in Dublin |journal=Irish Arts Review (1984–87)|volume=1| issue= 2 |date= Summer 1984|pages= 28–30}}</ref> Whether Handel originally intended to perform ''Messiah'' in Dublin is uncertain; he did not inform Jennens of any such plan, for the latter wrote to Holdsworth on 2 December 1741: "…it was some mortification to me to hear that instead of performing ''Messiah'' here he has gone into Ireland with it."<ref>Burrows (1991), p. 14</ref> After arriving in Dublin on 18 November 1741, Handel arranged a subscription series of six concerts, to be held between December 1741 and February 1742 at the [[Neale's Musick Hall, Dublin|Great Music Hall]], [[Fishamble Street]]. The venue had been built in 1741 specifically to accommodate concerts for the benefit of ''The Charitable and Musical Society for the Release of Imprisoned Debtors'', a charity for whom Handel had agreed to perform one benefit performance.{{sfn|Bardon|2015|page=18}} These concerts were so popular that a second series was quickly arranged; ''Messiah'' figured in neither series.<ref name= Shaw24/>

In early March Handel began discussions with the appropriate committees for a charity concert, to be given in April, at which he intended to present ''Messiah''. He sought and was given permission from [[St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin|St Patrick's]] and [[Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin|Christ Church]] cathedrals to use their choirs for this occasion.<ref>Luckett, pp. 117–119</ref><ref name= B17>Burrows (1991), pp. 17–19</ref>  These forces amounted to sixteen men and sixteen [[boy soprano|boy choristers]]; several of the men were allocated solo parts. The women soloists were [[Christina Maria Avoglio]], who had sung the main [[soprano]] roles in the two subscription series, and [[Susannah Maria Cibber|Susannah Cibber]], an established stage actress and [[contralto]] who had sung in the second series.<ref name=B17/><ref>Luckett, pp. 124–125</ref> To accommodate Cibber's vocal range, the recitative "Then shall the eyes of the blind" and the aria "He shall feed his flock" were transposed down to [[F major]].<ref name= B22/><ref name= Hog17/> The performance, also in the Fishamble Street hall, was originally announced for 12 April, but was deferred for a day "at the request of persons of Distinction".<ref name= Shaw24/> The orchestra in Dublin comprised [[string section|strings]], two trumpets, and timpani; the number of players is unknown. Handel had his own organ shipped to Ireland for the performances; a [[harpsichord]] was probably also used.<ref>{{cite book|last=Butt|first=John|title= Programme notes|series=[[Three Choirs Festival]], Gloucester| date =  2013}}</ref>

The three charities that were to benefit were [[debtors' prison|prisoners' debt]] relief, the [[Mercer's Hospital]], and the [[Charitable Infirmary, Dublin|Charitable Infirmary]].<ref name = B17/> In its report on a public rehearsal, the ''Dublin News-Letter'' described the oratorio as "…far surpass[ing] anything of that Nature which has been performed in this or any other Kingdom".<ref>Luckett, p. 126</ref> Seven hundred people attended the premiere on 13 April.<ref name = L127/> So that the largest possible audience could be admitted to the concert, gentlemen were requested to remove their swords, and ladies were asked not to wear [[hoop skirt|hoops]] in their dresses.<ref name= B17/> The performance earned unanimous praise from the assembled press: "Words are wanting to express the exquisite delight it afforded to the admiring and crouded Audience".<ref name= L127 /> A Dublin clergyman, Rev. Delaney, was so overcome by Susanna Cibber's rendering of "He was despised" that reportedly he leapt to his feet and cried: "Woman, for this be all thy sins forgiven thee!"<ref name= Hog22>Hogwood, pp. 22–25</ref>{{refn|It is possible that Delaney was alluding to the fact that Cibber was, at that time, involved in a scandalous divorce suit.<ref name=Kandell />|group= n}} The takings amounted to around [[pound sterling|£]]400, providing about £127 to each of the three nominated charities and securing the release of 142 indebted prisoners.<ref name= Cole/><ref name= L127>Luckett, pp. 127–128</ref>

Handel remained in Dublin for four months after the première. He organised a second performance of ''Messiah'' on 3 June, which was announced as "the last Performance of Mr Handel's during his Stay in [[Kingdom of Ireland|this Kingdom]]". In this second ''Messiah'', which was for Handel's private financial benefit, Cibber reprised her role from the first performance, though Avoglio may have been replaced by a Mrs Maclaine;<ref>Shaw, p. 30</ref> details of other performers are not recorded.<ref>Luckett, p. 131</ref>