Imagine an opera company that appeals to all ages and backgrounds without making artistic compromises. That thrives on meaningful interplay between the stage and the orchestra pit. That inspires performers and excites audiences through a fusion of scholarship and artistic excellence. That inspires children to engage in baroque music-making and invites amateurs to quiz international scholars.

Cambridge Handel Opera Company is that company.

Shortlisted for the 2021 Gramophone Award in association with the Academy of Ancient Music, Cambridge Handel Opera Company stages events which are ‘simply unmissable’ (Opera Now) and ‘impeccably stylish’ (The Stage). So far, its Talent Development Programme has enabled advanced period instrumentalists from nine institutions to rehearse and perform alongside expert professionals in staged productions, while its unique online discussions between musicians, directors and scholars, Handel’s Green Room, reach global audiences. Its concerts range from revivals of English music dramas to a chamber series that showcases neglected gems by Handel and his contemporaries.