London’s theaters hosted all sorts of performances, from plays and operas to benefit concerts and oratorios. Oratorios were popular entertainments during the Lenten season, when staged performances were suspended in deference to the church year. Following stellar performances in the ABO’s productions of Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Dr. Deanna Joseph and her remarkable Georgia State University Singers join the ABO for a rare performance of Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt. The oratorio is remarkable for its vivid storytelling of the Israelites’ journey through the Red Sea to freedom including depictions of the plagues of frogs and all manner of insects and disasters. A stellar lineup of guest soloists includes returning artists Andréa Walker (soprano, Dido and Aeneas, Acis and Galatea, Monteverdi’s Vespers) and Sumner Thompson (tenor/baritone, Monteverdi’s Vespers), and newcomer Clara Osowski (mezzo-soprano), all joined by a robust ABO featuring brass, timpani, winds, and strings.
Praise for our guest artists:
“Walker’s singing was agile, plaintive, and finely detailed – not emotionally oversized, but shaped with a bel canto-like emphasis on line and color. It felt like a sudden expansion. . . a moment when the music seemed to momentarily glow from within.”
“The second half [of the Handel Aria Competition] saw Clara Osowski lead off with “Cara speme” from Giulio Cesare, and frankly, she had me at “Cara.” There is a natural bloom to her voice that is irresistible, and her nuanced control of soft dynamics will be a lingering memory.”
