The Metropolitan Museum of Art is set to debut a groundbreaking musical work that sheds light on the historical context of composer George Frideric Handel's music. The commissioned piece, titled 'Handel: Made in America,' explores the connection between Handel's work and the British Empire's trading companies that profited from the exploitation of enslaved people.
The Met, known for its rich collection of art and cultural artifacts, believes Handel's music transcended boundaries of genre and social class, captivating the British masses during his time. However, Handel's rise to fame was intertwined with the growth of the British Empire, the most influential global superpower of history. In Georgian England, the same trading companies that funded arts and culture amassed their wealth through the trade of exotic goods, and notably, the enslavement of individuals.
