BaL 13.01.18 - Handel: Jephtha

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Fashion has always been a form of oneupmanship.

[vinteuil]

Fashion has always been a form of oneupmanship.

Whereas those who claim to be above such things as fashion....


.

[ardcarp]

Whereas those who claim to be above such things as fashion....


.

[french frank]

Welsh National Opera performed a fully-staged version in 2003. It was an excellent production, conducted by Paul McCreesh, with Mark Padmore, Christopher Purves and Susan Bickley. With the WNO Chorus too, I reckon it would have given most recordings some competition.

I recall a palpable-audible collective gulp from the audience when Padmore began 'Waft her, angels'.

[Looking through the programme, which had the full libretto, I wonder how difficult it was to sing, 'Laud her all ye Virgin train'?]

[ardcarp]

The first aria of Handel's Athelia is "Blooming Virgins".

[Maclintick]

Welsh National Opera performed a fully-staged version in 2003. It was an excellent production, conducted by Paul McCreesh, with Mark Padmore, Christopher Purves and Susan Bickley. With the WNO Chorus too, I reckon it would have given most recordings some competition.

Thanks FF. Wish I'd heard this, as it sounds as if an operatic rendition would perhaps encompass the work's darker and more anguished dimensions in the way GFH intended, but was prevented by censorship from accomplishing on the work's première. The BAL choice struck me as very beautiful, in an English middle-class , & dare I say it, Oxbridgey way..bereft of existential angst, & far too comfortable..

[french frank]

Thanks FF. Wish I'd heard this, as it sounds as if an operatic rendition would perhaps encompass the work's darker and more anguished dimensions in the way GFH intended, but was prevented by censorship from accomplishing on the work's première. The BAL choice struck me as very beautiful, in an English middle-class , & dare I say it, Oxbridgey way..bereft of existential angst, & far too comfortable..

It certainly did work very well - a joint enterprise between Paul McCreesh and director Katie Mitchell, I think. Only the HIPP sound was missing!