***Invited by the Duke of Devonshire, Handel arranged a subscription series of six concerts, to be held between December 1741 and February 1742 at the Great Music Hall, Fishamble Street. These concerts were so popular that a second series was quickly arranged; Messiah figured in neither series.
***In early 2013 historians discovered a printed list of the investors in the Royal African Company, one of Britain’s two official slave trading companies. The list named composer Handel. It is now believed Handel benefited from his investments which allowed him to compose Messiah.
***The Messiah was so popular and tickets were selling like crazy. To fit the large audience, ladies were asked to attend without hoops in their skirts and gentlemen without their swords so they could fit as many people as possible.
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