LONDON Haymarket Theatre: Israel in Egypt, Oratorio by G.F. Handel
With Georgia State University Singers, Deanna Joseph, conductor
February 26, 7:30 pm | First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta
February 27, 3:00 pm | Johns Creek United Methodist Church
February 28, 3:00 pm | Lassiter Concert Hall
London’s theaters hosted all sorts of performances, from plays and operas to benefit concerts and oratorios. Oratorios were popular entertainments during the Lenten season, when staged performances were suspended in deference to the church year. Following stellar performances in the ABO’s productions of Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Dr. Deanna Joseph and her remarkable Georgia State University Singers join the ABO for a rare performance of Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt. The oratorio is remarkable for its vivid storytelling of the Israelites’ journey through the Red Sea to freedom including depictions of the plagues of frogs and all manner of insects and disasters. A stellar lineup of guest soloists includes returning artists Andréa Walker (soprano, Dido and Aeneas, Acis and Galatea, Monteverdi’s Vespers) and Sumner Thompson (tenor/baritone, Monteverdi’s Vespers), and newcomer Clara Osowski (mezzo-soprano), all joined by a robust ABO featuring brass, timpani, winds, and strings.
Praise for our guest artists:
“Walker’s singing was agile, plaintive, and finely detailed – not emotionally oversized, but shaped with a bel canto-like emphasis on line and color. It felt like a sudden expansion. . . a moment when the music seemed to momentarily glow from within.”
“The second half [of the Handel Aria Competition] saw Clara Osowski lead off with “Cara speme” from Giulio Cesare, and frankly, she had me at “Cara.” There is a natural bloom to her voice that is irresistible, and her nuanced control of soft dynamics will be a lingering memory.”
ATLANTA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
ATLANTA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
The Atlanta Baroque Orchestra is composed of top-notch artists adept at ensemble playing, and often emerging as soloists within the group. Much of the repertoire requires such talent from all of its members due to small performance forces (typically not more than sixteen musicians). In lieu of a conductor, the group performs as one organism, each player contributing to the whole that is suggestively steered by lead violinist Julie Andrijeski.
The ABO consists of a small core of musicians who live in the Atlanta area, supplemented by guest performers and featured soloists from throughout the United States and the world. The Orchestra often supplements its strong base with guest artists specializing in historically-informed Baroque performance.
In addition to its intimate yet powerful performing forces, the Orchestra’s venues are cozy compared to typical concert halls. This close proximity helps to break down the barrier between musicians and their audiences, creating a sense of cooperative interaction.
Members perform on instruments made in the Baroque era, about 1600-1750, restored to their original setups, or on authentic replicas. The string instruments, fitted with gut rather than steel strings, are played with bows of an earlier design. This allows tones and articulations that differ from “modern” instruments. Horns and trumpets have no valves. Flutes are made of wood. The harpsichord, lute, and a portable pipe organ stand in for today’s piano and guitar. But, the tuning is different. Most importantly, our musicians have ample room for improvisation and a great deal more individual expression than what is tolerated in a conventional symphony orchestra.