Handel: Israel In Egypt

Programme:
Handel - Israel in Egypt HWV 54

The Monteverdi Choir celebrated its 60th anniversary with Handel’s most dazzling choral showpiece. Israel in Egypt is the 18^th century’s equivalent of a technicolour Biblical epic, featuring graphic musical depictions of flies, frogs, hailstones, the river Nile turning to blood, and the parting of the Red Sea. The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists have this music in their veins and performed for one night in the beautiful Georgian interior of St Martin in the Fields as part of a European tour.

This tour was conducted by Peter Whelan, who writes:

Israel in Egypt holds a special place in my heart. The sheer scale of the work, with its double chorus and virtuosic demands on the singers, is breathtaking. It’s a kaleidoscope of musical styles, showcasing Handel at his best. As the Monteverdi Choir approaches its 60th anniversary, it’s fitting to revisit this masterpiece.

Reviews:

“The orchestral playing was buoyant as well as sensitive, the choral work dazzling. The soloists…excelled, but the choir took top honours: every word audible, every note, even when roared, bang in tune.” – The Observer ★★★★★

“A thrilling performance by the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists [...] That sense of joy and release was vividly conveyed here under Peter Whelan’s direction.” – The Times ★★★★

“A reading that was highly effective and with a clarity that Whelan shaped with exquisiteness [...] with a choir that proved unbeatable in the performance of this repertoire.” – Scherzo

“Ineffable and sublime” – El Punt Avui

"Intricate and detailed throughout, but in its overall jubilant, assertive, even combative monumentality, it was brilliant—especially through the sonorous splendour, vocal agility, and internal emotion of the Monteverdi Choir, impeccably supported by the English Baroque Soloists under Peter Whelan." –  Die Presse

"Sunday's performance proved to be a highlight of the Ouverture spirituelle…The Monteverdi Choir…presented itself in top form.” –  Salzburger Nachrichten

St Martin-in-the-Fields programme: