Solomon

George Friedrich Haendel

Solomon Iestyn Davies countertenor
The Queen of Sheba Gillian Webster soprano
Solomon’s mother Sarah Tynan soprano
Zadok Jeremy Ovenden tenor 
Lévite Peter Harvey baritone

Gabrieli Consort & Players
Direction Paul McCreesh

By 1749 Handel had exclusively worked on oratorios for a decade. He was an absolute master of the genre, and of vast dramatic and choral forms. He took the libretto for Solomon and turned it into a fresco with the most beautiful choirs of his composition and an opulent orchestra. 

In three acts, the portrait of King Solomon is painted with an exceptional variety of affects: wisdom and marital happiness; Solomon's judgment; the visit of the Queen of Sheba, a sumptuous finale with one of the most splendid choruses ever written. Although Solomon was not a great success at its premiere, the magnificence of its pages has made it one of Handel's leading works today, which Sir Thomas Beecham particularly valued.

In a spirit as baroque as it is British, Paul Mac Creesh will revive Solomon in all its splendour: Iestyn Davies will be Solomon and the double choir and orchestra will be as close as possible to the initial considerable number of performers, a total of 83 performers, almost double those in the usual renditions of Handel oratorios. This is something of a sound experience for Paul Mac Creesh whose performances of Handel's oratorios are universally acclaimed.

Produced by Opéra Royal/Château de Versailles Spectacles.

This concert is recorded by Mezzo.