Title page, Arie dell' Opera di Rinaldo, &c;, printed score, pub. John Walsh senior and John Hare, 1711, London
Title page, Arie dell' Opera di Rinaldo, &c, printed score, pub. John Walsh senior and John Hare, 1711, London© Handel House Trust Ltd
Rinaldo was Handel's first London opera, composed for the fledgling London theatre company that was presenting Italian operas at the recently-completed Queen's (later King's) Theatre, Haymarket. It was well received and the experience no doubt persuaded Handel that he had a promising future in London.