. G. Rossi wrote the Italian words.

Rinaldo

, brought out in 1711, on the 24th of February, had a run of fifteen nights, and is accounted one of the best of the 35 operas composed by Handel for the English stage. Two airs in it,

Cara sposa

and

Lascia ch'io pianga

(the latter still admired as one of the purest expressions of his genius), made a great impression. In the same season the Haymarket produced

Hamlet

as an opera by Gasparini, called

Ambleto