London Handel Festival announces 2026 season of ‘Heavenly Harmony’
The London Handel Festival has announced the programme for its 2026 season, From Heavenly Harmony, a celebration of Handel’s music, running from 18 February to 28 March 2026. The new season places equal emphasis on continuity and renewal, combining the return of established ensembles with notable firsts and new creative initiatives.
Among the most significant developments are the Festival debut of Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort & Players and the first fully-staged opera of LHF's Handel Opera Studio, Tamerlano, which will close the season with three performances at Shoreditch Town Hall. Festival Director Gregory Batsleer described the 2026 programme as ‘a step forward in scope and ambition’, adding, ‘We are presenting five weeks of Handel-inspired performances that range from large-scale oratorios to family concerts and youth projects. Our aim is to enrich lives through Handel’s music and to make it accessible to audiences across London.’
The Festival opens at Smith Square Hall with Handel’s Saul, performed by Arcangelo under Jonathan Cohen, continuing their tenure as Principal Ensemble in Residence. Arcangelo’s three appearances across the festival will explore different facets of Handel’s sacred and secular music. On 14 March, Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort & Players make their long-awaited Festival debut with From Heavenly Harmony: Acis and an Ode!, which pairs Acis and Galatea with the Ode for St Cecilia’s Day. ‘Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort have long been standard-bearers for historically informed performance,’ said Batsleer. ‘Their first appearance at the Festival feels both natural and overdue.’
Further highlights include The English Concert at St George’s, Hanover Square on 25 February, performing Splendour and Devotion: Music for Court and Chapel, a programme that contrasts Handel’s Chandos Anthems with Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Opera Settecento, led by Leo Duarte, returns on 5 March with the modern-day London premiere of Handel’s unfinished pasticcio, Titus, l’Empéreur.
At the close of the Festival, the Handel Opera Studio will present its first full-scale staging with Tamerlano (26–28 March), directed by Orpha Phelan and designed by Madeleine Boyd, with Laurence Cummings conducting the Academy of Ancient Music. Since its founding in 2023, the Opera Studio has developed a reputation for inventive, smaller-scale stagings of Handel’s dramatic works; this new production marks a significant expansion. ‘This first full opera is a major step,’ said Batsleer, ‘and Laurence Cummings’s return to conduct it makes it all the more special.’
The Festival also continues its commitment to emerging artists through the International Handel Singing Competition, with the Semi-Final on 7 March and Gala Final on 11 March, presented by Petroc Trelawny and accompanied by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Steven Devine.
Alongside its mainstage performances, the Festival expands its Creative Learning and Participation programme, introducing relaxed performances, family concerts, and a large-scale youth singing project with Westminster schools. ‘We are strengthening our commitment to inclusivity through performances that invite everyone into Handel’s world,’ said Batsleer.
The 2026 Festival also marks the beginning of a two-year build-up to the organisation’s 50th anniversary in 2028, which will include the launch of a Future Fund Campaign to support new commissions and education work. ‘Our 2026 season sounds the starting claxon that will resonate over the months leading up to this significant milestone,’ Batsleer said. ‘We are laying the foundations for the Festival’s next chapter – ensuring Handel’s music remains a living, vital part of London’s cultural landscape.’
Full programme and ticket information are available on our London Handel Festival page and their website.