Among the copious exhibits is a transcript of the court case in which Haendel's favourite soprano, Susannah Cibber, was sued for damages by her husband on the strength of her adultery with a handsome young blade. "He let down the Turn-up Bed softly," claimed a witness. "She laid herself upon it, upon her Back, and pulled up her Clothes; her Body was bare. He unbuttoned his Clothes, hung his Bag-wig upon a Sconce, let down his Breeches, took his privy member in his Hand, and lay down upon her..."
"Haendel and the Divas will
explore the careers, rivalries, successes, failures and stories of scandalous
behind-the-scenes behaviour which made the first divas the talk of 18th-century
London".
