Organization

Festival International d'Opéra Baroque de Beaune

Conductor

Leonardo García Alarcón

Singer

Contralto

Christopher Lowrey

Solomon

Tenor

Matthew Newlin

Zadok

Soprano

Ana Maria Labin

Queen of Sheba

Mezzo-soprano

Gwendoline Blondeel

2. Harlot

Bass

Andreas Wolfram

Levite

Others

Chœur de Chambre de Namur

Orchestra

Millenium Orchestra

Beaune

France

Basilique Notre-Dame

Solomon Händel

Public

Approved

After Samson, Saul and Semele we continue the complete oratorios in English by Handel commissioned from Leonardo Garcia Alarcon with another masterpiece Solomon. With its colorful and finely nuanced instrumentation, its theatrical choral parts and its virtuoso solos, Solomon shows the full diversity and range of Handel's expressiveness. In particular the grandiose visit of the Queen of Sheba, sumptuous finale with one of the most beautiful choirs composed by Handel. The magnificence of Solomon has made it one of Handel's defining works today. Solomon's legendary wisdom is exemplified here by the story of two prostitutes vying to be recognized, each of them, as the mother of a baby presented to her. Solomon offers them to cut the child in half with his sword, to give one half to each. The real mother refuses the proposal by agreeing to leave the baby to the other woman: Solomon thus recognizes that her maternal instinct has spoken and that she is really the child's mother. We have largely brought back in this Solomon the marvelous soloists who made the great success of Samson, Saul or Semele with the exception of the title role, the no less marvelous American countertenor Christopher Lowrey who will make his debut in Beaune.

English

Solomon by Händel, From (2022/2022), Conductor Leonardo García Alarcón, Basilique Notre-Dame, Beaune, France

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Ensemble

Programme, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues