On 13 April 1742, in the New Music Hall on Fishamble Street in Dublin, George Frideric Handel conducted the first performance of Messiah, an oratorio on the life of Christ with texts from the Bible, to raise money for prisoners' debts and local hospitals. He had composed it in only 24 days in 1741. The audience, in a hall packed by a request to ladies not to wear hoops and to gentlemen to leave their swords at home, was deeply moved. It was received less warmly in London, but became hugely popular. The tradition of standing for the 'Hallelujah' chorus is said to go back to George II.
Before and after
- from 29 November 1740 to 6 May 1757Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom
- from 16 December 1740 to 18 October 1748War of the Austrian Succession
- 1741Steller's sea cow is discovered and then hunted to extinction
- 28 July 1741Death of Antonio Vivaldi
- 13 April 1742Handel's Messiah premieres in Dublin
- 14 August 1742Birth of Pius VII
- 2 April 1743Birth of Thomas Jefferson
- 27 June 1743Battle of Dettingen
- 26 August 1743Birth of Antoine Lavoisier
More in Art, literature & culture
- c. 1500sMona Lisa
- from 31 October 1517 to 1 January 1648Protestant Reformation
- 31 October 1517Origins of Lutheranism
- 10 November 1517Origins of Protestantism
- 1565Construction of Agra Fort
- from 17th century to 19th centuryAge of Enlightenment
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.