Review: Händel's MESSIAH, first complete execution at the Massimo Bellini theater in Catania conducted by Maestro J. David Jackson.
By Natalia DiBartolo © DiBartolocritic
The “Messiah”(HWV56), oratorio in English, composed in 1741 by georg Friedrich Handel it is a monumental work, which was composed by the German naturalized English genius with the usual speed, partially using, as in other works and oratorios, his own already existing pieces, including the Italian duet cantatas, and subsequently making numerous changes and modifications .
The Messiah is, besides "Israel in Egypt", the only oratorio by Handel whose text consists exclusively of biblical verses and is devoid of dialogue. The choice of verses was Charles Jennens, who was inspired by the so-called "King James Bible" and the "Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England". Most of the text is taken from the books of the prophets and the psalms of the Old Testament. In this way Jennens caused the Christ of the New Testament to be identified with the prophecy of the Messiah of the Old Testament. Handel did not intervene on the text, probably deeming his contribution unnecessary.
Attending the performance of this monument in the history of music is a privileged occasion and therefore the Good Friday 14th April 2017, to Massimo Bellini theater in Catania, the evening was tempting for connoisseurs and enthusiasts, who enjoyed the first complete execution in the maximum theater of Catania.
The theater was packed, despite the duration of the show, divided into the canonical three parts and therefore interspersed with two moments of rest, but nobody moved from their seat.
What first of all drove the evening towards the success of the whole was the enthusiasm of the director, the M° J. David Jackson, also a composer, as well as a Pulitzer Prize winner in 2000, visibly happy to be leading a performance that requires proven experience from everyone.
Vocal protagonists, in the four parts established by the author, a soprano, an alto (contralto), a tenor and a baritone, as Handel wanted, who however, at times, distributed the solo part among five singers and divided the soprano's arias .
The voices of the soloists are perhaps the most perilous obstacle in the execution of the masterpiece. Insufficient voices, in fact, would condemn the oratorio to a stressful succession of stunted and approximate pieces, since the soloists' parts above all require familiarity with agility.
In this respect, he stood out il tenore Elgan Llyr Thomas, endowed with an interesting and above all young voice; likewise soprano Elena de la Merced, whose voice, however, was devoid of ringing, with a bit of treble’ forced; precision in agility was well cared for, but not chiseled enough. Entirely missing the chisel contralto Mary Phillips which, especially in the first part, also had intonation problems. Correct, but not particularly agile, the vocality of baritone Josep-Miquel Ramon.
A solo ensemble, however, decent overall, to which the Chorus of the Massimo Bellini theater, directed by the Welshman Ross Craigmile, served as a side dish, never as a background, indeed assuming, as the author wanted, even the physiognomy of a protagonist. Not only was the famous Hallelujah performed with skill, but all the rest was also carefully taken care of, with some squaring, at times, in the tenor section, but overall with a good result.
Orchestra of the Catania theater as always up to the situation, in which the theorbist Silvio Natoli, governed with identification by Maestro Jackson, who was able to give the immense work of genius that trend that did not make it heavy: it is another risk, which has been averted.
Lively success with the public, with the bis dell’Hallelujah, during which Maestro Jackson, seized by enthusiasm, also invited the public to join in the choral singing. His satisfaction was evident and the spectators enjoyed the evening of music at the height of the solemnities of the coming Easter 2017.
Natalia DiBartolo © DiBartolocritic
Photos © James Orlando