Aam/Cambridge Handel Oc - John Eccles: Semele

The Academy of Ancient Music, Cambridge Handel Opera Company, Cambridge Early Music and Julian Perkins are proud to present the ?rst professional recording of John Eccles�s Semele (c.1707), a notable early setting of the great English libretto by William Congreve better known in a version by GF Handel from 1744. The Academy of Ancient Music�s mission is to explore, reveal and preserve the great treasure house of baroque and classical music, and a spirit of newfound discovery runs through all our work. Eccles�s�Semele�is the next step on this journey, released here on 2 CDs in deluxe hardback presentation with an extensive accompanying full-colour booklet containing scholarly essays, Stephen Fry�s modern re-telling of the story, autograph manuscript images of Eccles� score, the full libretto text and much more. A fascinating insight into how opera in England might have developed after Henry Purcell�s death had not Handel moved to London in 1712, Eccles�s Semele is the perfect addition to any baroque-music lover�s library.