Handel’s London. 1741.

King George II is on the throne and desperate to radiate legitimacy for the House of Hanover.

The town’s theatre scene has just been rocked by a salacious scandal that left once angelic leading lady Sussanah Cibber in ruins.

George Frederick Handel is in trouble: his last opera flopped. He is no longer in favour with King George II and neither church nor state want much to do with him. And his reputation as a cantankerous old bear isn’t doing him any favours.

Throw in a sex scandal for his leading soprano and the scene is set for the true story of the politics and the passion that nearly prevented Messiah from ever being performed. In this messy world where political tensions are simmering, the clergy are scheming and the audiences are fickle, it seems it may take a miracle to get his work ‘Messiah’ on stage.