Deborah
George Frideric Handel
A rare biblical oratorio in English by Handel, which provides us with another opportunity to hear Ton Koopman and Jakub Józef Orliński.
Dates
Sophie Junker | Deborah
Jakub Józef Orliński | Barak
Sophia Patsi | Sisera
Wolf Matthias Friedrich | Abinoam
Ton Koopman | direction and harpsichord
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir
About
Between 27 January and 10 July 1733, Handel had three London premieres: Orlando was premiered on 27 January, followed just under two months later on 17 March by Deborah, and then by Athalia on 10 July, the latter two being in oratorio form in English. This demonstrates the composer’s level of productivity at the start of the decade, pursuing the pace set by his previous opuses (notably the masterpieces Giulio Cesare and Rodelinda). Deborah is his second oratorio on a biblical theme in English since he settled in Britain in 1727. Spurning the Italian stars of the era, Handel turned to English singers, often products of the many excellent choirs which were legion in London at the time. There is a clear intention to forge a closer rapport with audiences by offering them a story which they can understand and probably enjoy. As was common at the time, and particularly for Handel, some elements were lifted from his earlier works, without in any way detracting from the musical and dramatic cohesion of the piece.
Production Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
