CD 1
Act I
1-1 Ouvertura
1-2 Menuetto
1-3 Accompagnato: See, With What Sad Dejection
1-4 Aria: No Longer, Fate, Relentless Frown
1-5 Accompagnato: O, Hercules, Why Art Thou Absent
1-6 Aria: The World, When Day's Career Is Run
1-7 Recitativo: Princess! Be Comforted
1-8 Arioso: I Feel, I Feel The God
1-9 Recitativo: He Said, The Sacred Fury Left His Breast
1-10 Aria: There, In Myrtle Shaded Reclin'd
1-11 Recitativo: Despair Not
1-12 Aria: Where Congeal'd The Northern Streams
1-13 Chorus: O Filial Piety
1-14 Recitativo: Banish Your Fears
1-15 Aria: Begone, My Fears
1-16 Recitativo: A Train Of Captives
1-17 Aria: The Smiling Hours
1-18 Chorus: Let None Despair
1-19 Recitativo: Ye Faithful Followers
1-20 Aria: Daughter Of Gods, Bright Liberty
1-21 Recitativo: But Hark!
1-22 March
1-23 Recitativo: Thanks To The Powr's Above
1-24 Aria: My Father
1-25 Recitativo: Now Farewell, Arms
1-26 Aria: The God Of Battle Quits
1-27 Chorus: Crown With Festal Pomp The Day
CD 2
Act II
2-1 Sinfonia
2-2 Recitativo: Why Was I Born A Princess
2-3 Aria: How Blest The Maid
2-4 Recitativo: It Must Be So
2-5 Aria: When Beauty Sorrow's Liv'ry Wears
2-6 Recitativo: Whence This Unjust Suspicion?
2-7 Aria: Ah! Think What Ills The Jealous Prove
2-8 Recitativo: It Is Too Sure
2-9 Recitativo: My Godlike Master
2-10 Aria: As Stars, That Rise And Disappear
2-11 Recitativo: In Vain You Strive
2-12 Chorus: Jealousy
2-13 Recitativo: She Knows My Passion
2-14 Aria: Banish Love From Thy Breast
2-15 Recitativo: Forgive A Passion
2-16 Aria: From Coelestial Seats Descending
2-17 Chorus: Wanton God Of Amorous Fires
2-18 Recitativo: Yes, I Congratulate Your Titles
2-19 Aria: Alcides' Name In Latest Story
2-20 Recitativo: O, Glorious Pattern Of Heroic Deeds
2-21 Aria: Resign Thy Club And Lion's Spoils
2-22 Recitativo: You Are Deceived
2-23 Aria: Cease, Ruler Of The Day, To Rise
2-24 Recitativo: Some Kinder Pow'r Inspire Me
2-25 Aria: Constant Lover's Never Roving
2-26 Recitativo: But See, The Princess Iole
2-27 Aria & Chorus: Still Caressing And Caress'd
2-28 Duet: Joys Of Freedom, Joys Of Pow'r
2-29 Recitativo: Father Of Hercules, Great Jove
2-30 Chorus: Love And Hymen
CD 3
Act III
3-1 Sinfonia
3-2 Recitativo: Ye Sons Of Trachin, Mourn
3-3 Aria: O Scene Of Unexampled Woe
3-4 Recitativo: O Fatal Jealousy
3-5 Chorus: Tyrants Now No More Shall Dread
3-6 Arioso: O Jove! What Land Is This?
3-7 Recitativo: Great Jove
3-8 Accompagnato: Was It For This Unnumber'd Toils
3-9 Aria: Let Not Fame The Tidings Spread
3-10 Accompagnato: Where Shall I Fly
3-11 Recitativo: Lo! The Fair, Fatal Cause
3-12 Aria: My Breast With Tender Pity Swells
3-13 Recitativo & Accompagnato: Princess, Rejoice
3-14 Aria: He, Who For Atlas Prop'd The Sky
3-15 Recitativo & Accompagnato: Words Are Too Faint
3-16 Recitativo: How Blest Is Hyllus
3-17 Duet: Oh Prince, Whose Virtues All Admire
3-18 Recitativo: Ye Sons Of Freedom
3-19 Chorus: To Him Your Grateful Motes Of Praise
Handel composed Hercules for his 1744-45 oratorio season as the secular foil to one of his most ambitious sacred dramas, Belshazzar, hoping to repeat the success of the previous season’s Samson/Semele pairing. Like Semele, Hercules, which Handel called ‘A Musical Drama’, is an English opera in all but name and shares its theme of the destructive power of sexual jealousy. Handel’s music is of outstanding quality and the commanding figure of Dejanira – rapturous in her love for her returning hero, distraught at his imagined dalliance with Iöle, eventually mad with despair at the enormity of her misguided actions – is one of his most powerfully drawn female rôles.
