The Cecilia Chorus of New York presents a Zoom afternoon with scholar Dr. Deborah Rooke on Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus. The event is set for Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 1PM. Tickets are $12.51 (including fees) and are available for purchase at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oxford-scholar-dr-deborah-rooke-discusses-handels-judas-maccabaeus-tickets-1999107641771?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Dr. Deborah Rooke is a Lecturer in Old Testament Hermeneutics at Regent’s Park College at Oxford University and the author of Handel’s Israelite Oratorio Libretti: Sacred Drama and Biblical Exegesis, published by Oxford University Press. In her hourlong presentation, with questions from the audience warmly welcomed, Dr. Rooke will combine the insights of present-day biblical studies with those of Handelian studies to examine the relationship between the oratorio’s libretto and the biblical story on which it is based, situating the narrative in the historical moment of its composition while adding enlightening perspectives for our present-day appreciation.

The Cecilia Chorus of New York is a widely recognized, diverse, multigenerational, mixed 150-member chorus that has been enriching New York’s musical life since 1906. Each season, we perform two major concerts at Carnegie Hall. Spanning five centuries, our imaginatively curated repertoire includes standard works, neglected gems, and exciting commissions. Membership by audition is open to all.