“Messiah” by Handel

“Messiah” by Handel

I watched the semi-operatic stage production of Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” conducted by Jean-Christophe Spinosi and orchestrated by Ensemble Matheus.

This is the first time I listen to this oratorio as the whole so I cannot compare this production with other “Messiah” productions. Usually oratorios are sung at church or cathedral by singers and choir who stand in rows.

I was very fascinated by the stage directions by Cluas Guth. This is one of the best stage directions I’ve ever watched.

The atmosphere of this stage is very similar to the stage production of Spinosi’s “Orlando Furioso”. The cold and crisp color tone was used throughout the stage setting and costumes. It is set in modern days and the singers and non-singers on the stage portrait the montage of dire, dark and painful drama of the family and human relationships surrounded by depression, suicide, birth, hope, adultery, betrayal, inability, regret, sorrow, redemption, etc… . And these are loosely but intensely connected with the Biblical dialogue of the Jesus’ story.

I first listened to this production while I was working and did not watch the screen. Even though I was working, my mind was completely captivated by the music throughout the production.

All the singers, the choir (listed below) and non-singing performers were superbly good in both acting and singing in this intense drama.

Wonderful tenor, Richard Croft’s voice in this production is richest I ever heard of him. His voice seems to be richer with his age.

Countertenor, Bejun Mehta has very clear beautiful mezzo-soprano range voice. I love the purity in his voice. He is one of the small number of singers I came to love their voices immediately upon hearing, not only because the beauty of voice but also because of their natural richness of expression in their voices.

Susan Grittion has full, rich powerfully expressive soprano voice.

Soprano, Cornelia Horak has finer, more sensitive beautiful voice. Her singing was acute in expressing the pain of the grief stricken wife.

Florian Boesch had powerful, skilful rich bass voice. His emotional singing was so real.

I’ve not heard whole a lot of Jean-Christophe Spinosi’s productions. But he always selects excellent singers. His choice of singers has never disappointed me.

I’ve also always loved his intensive sensibility and dramatic interpretation of music. Sometime, his music brings amazingly high level of tension.

The only problem I had with him especially with his Vivaldi was that his music could be abrupt when richness and fullness are needed. But I’ve noticed that when he conducts Handel, his abruptness lessens. Even in this production, I really couldn’t find any abruptness at all. His music is very rich, refined and dramatically intensive. I hope he conducts more Handel like this.

Susan Gritton, Soprano

Cornelia Horak, Soprano

Martin Pöllmann, Boy soprano

Bejun Mehta, Countertenor

Richard Croft, Tenor

Florian Boesch, Bass

Arnold Schönberg Choir

Ensemble Matheus

Dir. Jean-Christophe Spinosi