Our September Recording of the Month is Handel’s Serse in a sparkling new rendition by the English Concert under Music Director Harry Bicket. Although it was a flop back in 1738, Serse has gone on to become one of the composer’s most performed operas, in part thanks to the popularity of its opening aria. The ravishingly lyrical Ombra mai fu is sung by the tyrannical Persian King Xerxes (Serse), here played by mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, to his favourite plane tree (such is Baroque opera).

Ahead of the release, Clive Paget spoke with Bicket about the opera’s fortunes over the years, why audiences love it today, and the English Concert’s ambitious project to make every note than Handel ever wrote available online, and for free.

Serse was not hit at His Majesty’s Theatre London in 1738, and yet it’s now one of the most popular Handel operas. Why do you think it bombed the first time round?

It’s so hard, isn’t it? I mean, the history of music is littered with pieces which were flops first time round. It is unusual for Handel because it’s a comedy, and it doesn’t have all...