The American stage director and dancer Catherine Turocy will transform this Handel opera into a vivid and fashionable baroque production. The title role will be sung by William Towers, who will be joined by soloists including Susanne Rydén, Dominique Labelle, Diana Moore and the Festival Orchestra Göttingen.

Two Handel oratorios will also be presented: Samson with Thomas Cooley, William Berger, Sophie Daneman, Franziska Gottwald, the NDR (Norddeutsche Rundfunk) Choir and the Festival Orchestra Göttingen, also under the direction of McGegan and the less frequently performed L’Allegro, Il Penseroso ed il Moderato with Joanne Lunn, Anna Devin, Andrew Staples, George Humphreys, the North German Figuralchor and Musica Alta Ripa under the direction of Jörg Straube.

Two further highlights of the Festival will feature solo singers: the alto Michael Chance will perform works by Purcell, Handel, Byrd, Morley and Lawes together with the viol consort Fretwork and Emma Kirkby will be accompanied by London Baroque in a programme of compositions by Handel, Arne, Purcell and Jenkins. International stars of the early music scene such as Hille Perl, Robin Blaze and Susanne Rydén will be heard in chamber concerts. Following the Festival’s theme, the Festival Ensemble will offer a concert entitled “Orpheus Britannicus”, in which Sophie Daneman and William Berger will present a selection of 17th- and 18th-century songs and poetry by Purcell, Locke, Lawes, Dryden, Marvell and Donne.

As is customary, the Göttingen Festival will also present some lesser known works. During the 2008 Festival Handel’s English masque Acis and Galatea will be performed in a previously unknown arrangement by Mendelssohn. The singers will include Christoph Prégardien and Michael Slattery with the NDR Choir, accompanied by the Festival Orchestra conducted by Nicholas McGegan. An extensive supporting programme will supplement the main events. Introduction of musical works, lectures, children’s concerts, film presentations and city tours will provide insight into Handel’s versatile creative activity.

Information in www.haendel.org