Semele

Semele was written in 1743, by an already mature Handel, after his opera serias were becoming less well received than they had once been. The big novelty of the time was that Semele was composed entirely in English and is surely the closest that any of his oratorios get towards opera (though today many of them are staged as such). Stage director Barrie Kosky definitely places it in the operatic genre. He creates a very worldly universe in which gods and mortals are prone to the same emotions.

Directed by —, Semele leans on a strong ensemble — Philipp Meierhöfer, Nicole Chevalier, Katarina Bradić — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2018.