The English Concert, one of the world’s top baroque ensembles, is bringing Handel’s Rinaldo to life with a cast of powerhouse singers and conductor Harry Bicket at the helm. Expect dazzling countertenors, rich baroque textures, and a performance that’s as vivid and urgent as it is historically informed. It’s a rare chance to hear period instruments, world-class voices, and Handel’s drama in full technicolor.

The English Concert

The English Concert is one of the world’s leading baroque ensembles, known for its vivid interpretations, technical precision, and an approach to period music that’s anything but dusty. Founded in 1972 by Trevor Pinnock, the group is now led by conductor Harry Bicket, with keyboardist Kristian Bezuidenhout as principal guest artist. Their work spans major international Handel opera tours and regular appearances at London venues like Wigmore Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, and the Barbican, plus an annual residency at Garsington Opera.

Harry Bicket – Conductor

Harry Bicket is a conductor best known for bringing clarity and urgency to the baroque and classical repertoire. Artistic Director of The English Concert since 2007, he’s currently spearheading an ambitious project to film and archive all of Handel’s works. In the 2024/25 season, he’s conducting Le nozze di Figaro in Santa Fe (where he’s Music Director), making his Opernhaus Zürich debut with Agrippina, and returning to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a collaboration with Joffrey Ballet. He’ll also lead Giulio Cesare on a transatlantic tour with The English Concert.

Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen – Countertenor (Rinaldo)

Praised by The Guardian for an “astonishingly beautiful” voice, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after countertenors on the circuit. He starred as Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne in a David McVicar production that critics called “dazzling” and “superbly sung.” A Princeton history grad, Cohen has performed with major houses from Opernhaus Zürich to San Francisco Opera, and debuts this season at Chicago Symphony, La Monnaie, and the Kennedy Center.

Alexander Chance – Countertenor (Eustazio)

Alexander Chance is building a reputation as a recitalist and early music specialist. His debut album Drop not, mine eyes, with lutenist Toby Carr, was named one of Gramophone’s best albums of 2023. Opera roles include Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Apollo in Death in Venice. This year, he makes his BBC Proms debut and returns to Wigmore Hall and the English Concert.

Ashley Riches – Bass-Baritone (Argante)

Cambridge-educated Ashley Riches is a versatile bass-baritone equally at home in opera and oratorio. This season, he’s singing Bach’s St John Passion with Harry Bicket, Handel’s Messiah with John Butt, and Puccini’s La Rondine with the LSO and Antonio Pappano. Recent opera roles include Roucher in Andrea Chénier at Covent Garden. He’s also released a solo album, A Musical Zoo.

Rachael Wilson – Mezzo-Soprano (Armida)

American mezzo Rachael Wilson, a Juilliard alumna and Bavarian Art Prize recipient, has a busy season ahead: debuts at Komische Oper Berlin (singing alto in Messiah at Tempelhof Airport), Staatsoper Hamburg (Don Giovanni), and a return to Glyndebourne in Katya Kabanova. She's also making her Musikverein debut in Vienna with the Wiener Symphoniker.

Andy Shen Liu – Countertenor (Araldo / Donna / Magician)

Chinese-American countertenor Andy Shen Liu has been performing since the age of 7 and now moves easily between roles like Ernesto in Haydn’s Il Mondo della Luna and Eurindo in Stradella’s La Forza dell’amor Paterno. He’s sung from Lincoln Center to Royal Albert Hall, and his performance in Twilight of Himalayas was released by Deutsche Grammophon.

Mary Bevan – Soprano (Almirena)

Mary Bevan is a soprano who combines vocal finesse with dramatic smarts. She’s sung at major houses and festivals around the world, from ENO to Dresden’s Semperoper. In 2024/25, she stars as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Morgana in Alcina in Rome, and Michal in a new staging of Handel’s Saul by Claus Guth.

Paula Murrihy – Mezzo-Soprano (Goffredo)

Irish mezzo Paula Murrihy is a regular on the big European stages—Covent Garden, Paris, the Met, Salzburg. She’s doing five major productions this season, including Hercules in Frankfurt, Ariadne auf Naxos in Rouen, and Cunning Little Vixen in Paris. She’s also a long-time collaborator with The English Concert, known for her intelligent, emotionally detailed performances.

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