Professor Amanda Vickery presents Messiah at the Foundling Hospital on BBC Two

More than 250 years since its composition, Handel’s Messiah remains one of the most popular choral pieces in western music.Yet few people know the heart-rending story of how this much-loved work first came to public attention or the role it played in helping save the lives of tens of thousands of children.Professor Amanda Vickery and BBC Radio 3 presenter Tom Service present this one-hour drama documentary which re-creates the first performance of Messiah at London’s Foundling Hospital in 1750 and tells the story of how this special fundraising concert heralded a golden age of philanthropy for the country at large.

Messiah at the Foundling Hospital (link is external) airs on Saturday 19 April at 21:30 on  (link is external)BBC Two (link is external)