Charles King: The Premiere of Handel's Messiah (1742)

Our guest today is the New York Times bestselling historian Charles King, the author of Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times that Made Handel's Messiah. The Messiah is one of the best known pieces of all classical music and, as King suggests at the beginning of this conversation, it 'may be the world's greatest monument to the possibility of hope'. To tell us more about how such an extraordinary piece was written, as well as to take us along to its premiere in Dublin in April 1742, King sat down with us for a travel back through time just the other day. Charles King is the author of Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times that Made Handel's Messiah Show notes Scene One: 13 April, 1742. The words 'Comfort ye/Every Valley' at the premiere of the Messiah in Dublin. Scene Two: 13 April, 1742. The words 'He Was Despised' at the premiere of the Messiah in Dublin. Scene Three: 13 April, 1742. The Hallelujah chorus at the premiere of the Messiah in Dublin. Memento: The original manuscript of Handel's Messiah. People/Social Presenters: Peter Moore and Min Kym Guest: Charles King Production: Maria Nolan

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Charles King: The Premiere of Handel's Messiah (1742) is an episode from Travels Through Time by Travels Through Time.

This episode is 53:55 long.

This episode was published on Feb 19, 2026.

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