Director Harry Bicket is at the harpsichord with soprano Mary Bevan, rehearsing the role of Almirena.

Our cameras captured this special snapshot of TEC’s Rinaldo project, as part of a new strand of Handel for All films that we’re calling The Handel Sessions.

Harry and Mary discuss the mighty inheritance of the aria, and explore some of the emotional directions a soprano could take it in.

“I’m always a fan of imperfect singing… you may have noticed over the years!”

Mary shows us how words, and even parts of words, can be swallowed, delayed, forgotten, or exaggerated, all to great dramatic effect.

In just 8 minutes of rehearsal, we can see how a centuries-old aria really is a living, electrifying force.

Join us for Rinaldo throughout October 2025: initially on tour in East Asia (Macau, Beijing, Shanghai, Incheon) and then at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London on Friday 24 October.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the full opera will also be filmed for Handel for All.