SATURDAY EVENING - 17.04.10
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The inaugural performance of Situation Opera's 10.10 Ensemble
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The inaugural performance of Situation Opera's 10.10 Ensemble
G. F. HÄNDEL
Messiah: A Sacred Oratorio in 3 Parts
Unique
in its universal appeal, the Sacred Oratorio Messiah combines the
greatest elements of musical form available to the composer: Chorus,
instrumentalists and soloists bind together in a work drawing influence
from the great German biblical operas, Italian sacred music of the
Catholic church and Purcell's Anthems. Each element retains its
significance yet blends with each other to create a new, and delightful
whole.
There are debates over the source of Charles Jennens' libretto and some suggest that it was Händel who approached Jennens to write the text after the death of his beloved sister - "I know that my Redeemer liveth" being her favourite passage. However, the satisfying unity between text and music suggest a collaborative effort borne of true belief on the part of both author and composer - the balance between the chorus and solos, secco and accompanied recitative, aria and arioso, with variation of homophonic and polyphonic textures gives birth to this work of astounding complexity and beauty.
The work was written in just twenty-four days, and was premiered on April 13th, 1742 at Neale's Music Hall on Fishamble Street, Dublin. Advertised as "A New Sacred Oratorio", it was nine years before Messiah received a performance in sacred surroundings; the chapel of the Foundling Hospital, London where Händel was a major patron and then trustee. There were constant revisions made to the music and scoring of during Händel's lifetime - oboes and bassoons were added and removed, and many of the solos swapped between different voice types. The work was even translated into German and re-scored by a great fan: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This evening we present the work with the "cuts" or reductions used by Händel in his performing score dated 1744, minus the optional oboe parts which double the vocal line throughout the piece. On a fun note - there is a common tradition that the audience stand at the beggining of the chorus Hallelujah, just as King George the Second did. Some say he was enraptured with the music - others that he was suffering with gout... We shall leave it to your discretion!
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
There are debates over the source of Charles Jennens' libretto and some suggest that it was Händel who approached Jennens to write the text after the death of his beloved sister - "I know that my Redeemer liveth" being her favourite passage. However, the satisfying unity between text and music suggest a collaborative effort borne of true belief on the part of both author and composer - the balance between the chorus and solos, secco and accompanied recitative, aria and arioso, with variation of homophonic and polyphonic textures gives birth to this work of astounding complexity and beauty.
The work was written in just twenty-four days, and was premiered on April 13th, 1742 at Neale's Music Hall on Fishamble Street, Dublin. Advertised as "A New Sacred Oratorio", it was nine years before Messiah received a performance in sacred surroundings; the chapel of the Foundling Hospital, London where Händel was a major patron and then trustee. There were constant revisions made to the music and scoring of during Händel's lifetime - oboes and bassoons were added and removed, and many of the solos swapped between different voice types. The work was even translated into German and re-scored by a great fan: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This evening we present the work with the "cuts" or reductions used by Händel in his performing score dated 1744, minus the optional oboe parts which double the vocal line throughout the piece. On a fun note - there is a common tradition that the audience stand at the beggining of the chorus Hallelujah, just as King George the Second did. Some say he was enraptured with the music - others that he was suffering with gout... We shall leave it to your discretion!
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
| Location: |
St Mary's Church Honey Hill, Bury St Edmunds Suffolk, IP33 1RT |
| Concert Time: | 19.30pm |
| Tickets: | £12 / £10 - please email tickets@situationopera.org.uk |