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Tuesday 31 March 2009 at 7.30pm
Handel La Resurrezione
An oratorio in two parts
Libretto by Carlo Sigismondo Capece
Le Concert d’Astrée
Emmanuelle Haïm conductor
Camilla Tilling soprano
Kate Royal soprano
Sonia Prina contralto
Toby Spence tenor
Lorenzo Regazzo bass
Angel
St Mary Magdalene
St Mary Cleophas
St John the Evangelist
Lucifer
6.00pm: pre-concert talk in the Redgrave Room
There will be one interval of 20 minutes after Part 1.
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Notes
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
La Resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
‘He assured him that there was no country in which a
young proficient could spend his time to so much
advantage; or in which every branch of his profession
was cultivated with so much care.’ In such terms,
according to Handel’s first biographer, the 20-year-old
composer was encouraged by the Prince of Tuscany to
make the journey from Hamburg to Italy. Handel’s
subsequent extended visit to Italy, during 1706–10, was
undoubtedly an important formative period in his career.
In retrospect, we can see the particular significance of the
Italian period for the development of Handel as an
opera composer: Rodrigo and Agrippina, produced in
Florence and Venice respectively, form the transitional
link between his early Hamburg operas and the
masterpieces of Baroque opera that were central to
Handel’s work during his first 30 years in London. But
opera constituted only a relatively small part of his
creative activity in Italy, and we need not doubt that he
made the most of the other opportunities that were on
offer for ‘every branch of the profession’. Of the Italian
musical centres, Handel probably spent the longest time
in Rome where, in consequence of a Papal ban, opera
was currently not performed. Here instead he found a
stimulating network of musical patrons, composers and
performers who encouraged opportunities in other
musical genres – church music, cantatas and oratorios.
feature that was ultimately to become important in
Handel’s English theatre oratorios. His first Italian
oratorio, Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, might be
described as an extended dramatic cantata with
allegorical characters: Tempo, Piacere and Disinganno,
representing the moral forces of ‘Time’, ‘Pleasure’ and
‘Truth’ (literally ‘Undeceit’), compete for their influence on
Bellezza (‘Beauty’). There is a dramatic situation inherent
in the choices that Bellezza has to make, but the
significance of the oratorio lies less in Handel’s
presentation of the drama than in his mastery of musical
technique in the arias, through which the story is told and
the characters are presented.
The words of Il Trionfo del Tempo were by Cardinal
Pamphili, who was well-known as a musical patron and
presumably promoted the performances of the oratorio.
He was but one of Handel’s patrons in Rome, however,
and it seems that the person who had the most
substantial connection with Handel there was the
Marquis (later, Prince) Ruspoli. During 1707–09 Ruspoli’s
domestic accounts show regular entries of payments to
music copyists for Handel’s Italian cantatas, and in June
1707 Handel also composed two Latin motets and an
antiphon for liturgical performance at Vignanello,
Ruspoli’s summer residence near Rome. It was Ruspoli
who commissioned Handel’s second oratorio, La
Resurrezione, which received its first performance at
It seems to have been in Rome, too, that during 1707
Ruspoli’s palace in Rome on Easter Sunday 1708, with a
Handel’s musical style took on the strength that was
repeat performance the following day. The oratorio was
characteristic of his creative maturity. The spring of that
year saw the composition of two works that are arguably presented as a companion-piece to (and no doubt
somewhat in competition with) a passion oratorio by
the composer’s first masterpieces, and can also be
Alessandro Scarlatti, performed on the previous
regarded as significant foundations for Handel’s later
Wednesday at the palace of another major Roman
works. The Latin psalm Dixit Dominus displays not only
melodic liveliness and firm direction in its harmonic style, patron, Cardinal Ottoboni. Ottoboni wrote the text of the
but also a confidence in handling ensembles of singers, a passion oratorio; the text of La Resurrezione was by
2
Notes
Carlo Sigismondo Capece (1652–1728), court poet to
Queen Maria Casimira of Poland, who was living in exile
in Rome. The full title, as given on the libretto, was
Oratorio per la Risurrettione di Nostro Signor Giesó
Cristo: Ruspoli had 1,500 copies of the text printed for the
performances.
performance by a castrato: castrati were already
allocated to the roles of St Mary Cleophas and the Angel.
The playing of women’s roles by male castrati was an
accepted theatrical artifice in Rome where, in times when
opera did not suffer Papal disapproval, women were
forbidden to appear on the public stage. Hence for the
The quantity of printed programmes reflects the lavish
first audience the employment of castrati would not
scale of the enterprise. The oratorio was not acted, but
necessarily have rendered the performance artificially
was performed before an elaborate painted backdrop
undramatic: the characters and situations could be
depicting scenes from the oratorio. There were three full interpreted with theatrical imagination, in spite of the
rehearsals, and the five soloists were accompanied by a absence of stage action. In that the soloists represent
substantial orchestra. Ruspoli’s accounts for the expenses actual characters, and for the most part specifically
of the performances record a string section of 35 players human characters, La Resurrezione is a much more
directly dramatic work than Il Trionfo del Tempo. It also
led by Corelli, and seven wind players – two trumpets,
benefited from the development of Handel’s style that
four oboes and a trombone. The trombone is not
specifically mentioned in Handel’s score, which however had taken place during the intervening year, particularly
as a result of his experience with Rodrigo, his first fulldoes require in addition a flute, two recorders and a
length Italian opera. Nevertheless, as was also the case
bassoon: no doubt these instruments were played as
more than 30 years later with Messiah, the subject-matter
needed by the four ‘oboe’ players. The score also
of the oratorio presented a challenge for any type of
specifies viola da gamba and theorbo, for which no
semi-dramatic treatment. The representation of Christ
players are listed in Ruspoli’s accounts. Nor do the
himself might have been regarded as blasphemous.
records specifically mention Handel, who presumably
Furthermore, since the librettist wanted not merely to
directed the performances from the keyboard. He used
retell the events of the Resurrection story, but to interpret
his orchestral forces in a particularly varied and
them in terms of the resolution of a supernatural conflict,
imaginative manner, making good use of instrumental
it would have been difficult to represent Christ powerfully
soloists as well as the rich sound of the full ensemble.
enough with an individual singer who was, in the end, just
Among the most striking effects are the powerful unison
one member of a human cast. So the principal character
string writing to accompany Lucifer’s aria ‘O voi
dell’Erebo’ and the ghostly timbre of recorders doubling does not appear at all. Instead, Capece found a clever
and dramatically effective solution by presenting the
muted oboe in Maddalena’s ‘Per me già di morire’. At
the first performance the role of St Mary Magdalene was story on the human level through the actions of followers
of Jesus who were involved in the events of the
taken by the soprano Margherita Durastanti, who also
featured later in Handel’s London operas. Her presence Resurrection, while using the character of Lucifer to
represent the supernatural dimension and employing
in an oratorio performance brought forth a complaint
an Angel as an interpretative intermediary between the
from the Pope, and her role was taken at the second
two worlds.
3
Notes
Synopsis
As was conventional in contemporary Italian oratorios,
the work is in two parts. Although the printed word-book
for the original performances did not further divide the
text into formal ‘scenes’ in the modern sense, there are
clear implied divisions in the dramatic sequences. The
action takes place on the second (‘Saturday’) night after
the Crucifixion and the following morning.
Part 1
Scene 2 The Angel proclaims Christ’s victory and
explains to Lucifer that Christ will make his Glory known
on earth before returning to Heaven. Lucifer says that he
will prevent his own defeat from becoming known on
earth, but the Angel shows him the women going to the
sepulchre.
Scene 3 Mary Cleophas and Mary Magdalene hasten
to the sepulchre, hoping that they are not too late, but
confident in the power that Jesus has given them. Lucifer,
now knowing that he is beaten, flees from heaven, the
sun and earth, and falls back to Hell.
Scene 1 The Angel demands admittance at the gates of
Hell and declares that Christ, though he has died, will
now conquer Death, Guilt and Misery (Morte, Colpa,
Pena). Lucifer summons the powers of Hell to oppose him. Scene 4 The women reach the empty tomb and discover
the Angel, appearing as a young man dressed in white.
Scene 2 In Jerusalem, Mary Magdalene and Mary
The Angel tells them that Christ has risen, and bids the
Cleophas mourn the death of Jesus, but St John reminds
women return to spread the news. However, the thoughts
them of Christ’s promise to return on the third day and
of both women turn first to finding the risen Jesus.
encourages them to return to the tomb.
Scene 5 St John meets Mary Cleophas, who relates
Scene 3 The Angel calls for the blessed souls, led by
what the women found at the tomb: St John tells her that
Adam and Eve, to rise with Christ and join in celebrating
Jesus has already appeared to his Mother. Mary
his victory.
Magdalene joins them and describes how Jesus has just
Part 2
appeared to her in the garden. All three are now
confident of Jesus’s Resurrection. Mary Magdalene calls
Scene 1 St John greets the dawn of the third day, and
on ‘every mortal’ to join in celebrating the Resurrection
hopes that the tremors preceding the dawn may have
and liberation from sin, and the oratorio ends with a
indicated the end of the final battle in Hell. He goes to
general chorus of praise.
visit Mary, the Mother of Jesus, hoping that she has good
Programme note and synopsis © Donald Burrows
news.
© Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg, reprinted by
kind permission from CD booklet 447 767-22
4
Text and translation
PART 1
Sonata
SCENE 1
Angel
Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno,
E al bel lume d’un Nume ch’è eterno
Tutto in lampi si sciolga l’orror!
Disserratevi, etc.
Cedete, orride porte,
Cedete al Re di Gloria,
Che della sua vittoria
Voi siete il primo onor!
Cedete, etc.
Disserratevi, etc.
Be unbarred, ye gates of Avernus,
and let your dismal darkness be dispelled
by the radiance of the eternal God!
Be unbarred, etc.
Yield, dread gates,
yield to the King of Glory,
for yours is the first submission
to His victorious might!
Yield, etc.
Be unbarred, etc.
Lucifer
Qual’ insolita luce
Squarcia le bende alla tartarea notte?
Qual’ eco non più udita
Con armonia gradita
Fa intorno risonar le stigie grotte?
Se son del mio valore
Gli applausi, giusti sono!
Oggi, che vincitore,
Cittadini d’Abisso, a voi ritorno;
E già mi vendicai con fiero sdegno
Chi perder già mi fe’ de’ cieli il Regno!
What unexpected light
rends the bonds of Tartarean night?
What sounds unheard before
echo harmoniously
throughout the Stygian caves?
If they are acclamations
of my valour, they are fitting!
For today as victor,
citizens of the Abyss, I return to you,
having avenged myself with proud disdain
upon the one who cast me out of Heaven!
Caddi, è ver, ma nel cadere
Non perdei forza né ardire,
Caddi, caddi, caddi, etc. …
… no, no, no, non perdei, etc.
Per scacciarmi dalle sfere
Se più forte allor fu Dio,
Or fatt’ uomo al furor mio
Pur ceduto ha con morire.
Caddi, è ver, etc.
I fell, ‘tis true, but in falling
I lost neither strength nor courage,
I fell, I fell, I fell, etc. …
… no, no, no, I lost not strength, etc.
Though when He threw me from the spheres
God was then the stronger,
now, as a man, He has succumbed
to my hate by dying.
I fell, ‘tis true, etc.
Ma che veggio? di spirti a me nemici
Come un sì folto stuolo,
Per quest’ aure annegriti
Da’ miei respiri, osa portare il volo?
But what is this? How does such a swarm of hostile spirits
dare to wing its way
through these vapours
blackened by my breath?
Please turn page quietly
5
Text and translation
Angel
De’ tenebrosi chiostri
Tacete, orridi mostri!
Dileguatevi, o larve! ombre, sparite!
E dell’eterno Re le leggi udite.
Silence, ye grisly monsters
of the caves of darkness!
Vanish, ye spectres! Disappear, ye shades!
And hear the decrees of the eternal King.
Lucifer
Che sei? Chi è questo re,
che dove io regno a penetrar s’avanza?
Who art thou? Who is this king
who would invade the realm where I hold sway?
Angel
È Re di Gloria, è Re possente e forte,
Cui resister non può la tua possanza.
He is the King of Glory, a King of power and might,
against whom all thy strength cannot prevail.
Lucifer
Se parli di chi penso,
Pur oggi a morte spinto,
Negar non può ch’il mio poter l’ha vinto.
If thou speakest of whom I think thou dost,
put to death this very day,
He cannot deny that my power vanquished Him.
Angel
Come cieco t’inganni, e non t’avvedi
Che se morì chi è della vita autore,
Non fu per opra tua, ma sol d’amore.
Blind, self-deceiver, canst not see
that if life’s very source has yielded life,
‘twas by no act of thine, but for love alone.
D’Amor fu consiglio
Che al Padre nel Figlio
L’offesa pagò,
Per rendere all’uomo
La vita ch’un pomo
gustato involò.
By Love’s inspiration
the Son paid to the Father
the price of mortal sin,
thus to man restoring
the life he forfeited
by tasting of the apple.
Lucifer
E ben, questo tuo Nume
Dell’uomo innamorato
E che per lui svenato
Oggi volle morir, che più presume?
L’omaggio a me dovuto,
Se a rendermi qua giù muove le piante,
Venga. Ma se pretende …
So, this God of thine,
enamoured of mankind
and content to suffer death
on his account today, what more would He?
If to pay me due homage
He wends his way to these depths,
let Him come. But if He would presume …
Angel
Taci, che or lo vedrai, mostro arrogante!
Vedrai come delusa
Da lui fugge la Morte;
Vedrai come confusa
Silence, for soon thou shalt see Him, arrogant monster!
Thou shalt see how Death,
outwitted, flies from Him;
thou shalt see how Guilt,
6
Text and translation
Lo rimira la Colpa;
Vedrai come atterrita
Si nasconde la Pena;
Vedrai come tu stesso
Tremarai genuflesso al suo gran Nome.
confounded, gapes at Him;
thou shalt see Distress
conceal herself in terror;
thou shalt see thyself
trembling on thy knees at His great name.
Lucifer
Il tremante! Io sì vile! E quando? e come?
Sconvolgerò gl’abissi,
Dal suo centro commossa
Dissiperò la terra,
All’aria coi respiri,
Al fuoco coi sospiri,
Con gli aneliti al Ciel muoverò guerra!
I, tremble? I, abase myself? When, and how?
I’ll throw Hell into confusion,
I’ll convulse the Earth from within
and scatter it abroad
into the air with my breath
and into the fire with my sighs,
and storm the gates of Heaven with ambition!
O voi, dell’Erebo
Potenze orribili,
Su, meco armatevi
D’ira e valor!
O voi, dell’Erebo, etc.
E dell’ Eumenidi
Gli angui terribili,
Con fieri sibili
Ai cieli mostrino
Ch’hanno i suoi fulmini
Gli Abissi ancor!
O voi, dell’Erebo, etc.
O ye dread powers
of Erebus
Come, arm yourselves like me
with rage and courage!
O ye, dread powers, etc.
And let the hideous serpents
of the Furies
fiercely hiss
that Heaven may know
that Hell has yet
its thunderbolts!
O ye dread powers, etc.
SCENE 2
Magdalene
Notte, notte funesta,
Che del divino Sole
Con tenebre di duol piangi l’occaso,
Lascia, lascia che pianga anch’io
E con sopor tiranno
Al giusto dolor mio,
Deh, non turbar l’affanno!
Night, o night of sorrows,
mourning the setting of the Sun divine
with shadowed grief,
leave me to my tears,
let not imperious sleep
sway me from the grief
that justly racks my heart!
Ferma l’ali, e sui miei lumi
Non volar, o sonno ingrato!
Se presumi, se presumi
Asciugarne il mesto pianto,
Fold thy wings, and o’er my eyes
fly not, unwelcome sleep!
If thou wouldst presume
to dry my tears of sorrow,
Please turn page quietly
7
Text and translation
Lascia pria che piangan tanto
Quanto sangue ha sparso in fiumi
Il mio Dio per me svenato.
Se presumi, etc.
Ferma l’ali, etc.
let me first weep as full a stream
as that shed by my God in blood
when He died for me.
If thou wouldst presume, etc.
Fold thy wings, etc.
Cleophas
Concedi, o Maddalena,
Qualche tregua al martire,
Che un continuo languire
Può con la vita anche scemar la pena;
E per un Dio ch’è morto
Così giusto è ‘l dolore
Che non convien di renderlo più corto.
O Magdalene, allow
thy torment some respite,
for incessant pining
will put a term to life and therefore pain,
and since such grief is just
for a God who has died,
it is not meet that it should be foreshortened.
Magdalene
Cleofe, invano al riposo
Tu mi consigli, ed al mio core amante
Sarebbe più penoso ogni momento
Che potesse restar senza tormento.
Cleophas, in vain dost thou
counsel me to rest; my loving heart
would suffer the more each moment
that it was free from torment.
Cleophas
Se il tuo giusto cordoglio
Sol di pene ha desio,
Trattenerlo non voglio
Ma solo unire al tuo l’affanno mio.
If thy just grief
demands only suffering,
I would not seek to restrain it,
but only to mingle my tears with thine.
Piangete, sì, piangete,
Dolenti mie pupille,
E con amare stille
Al morto mio Signor
Tributo di dolor
Meste rendete!
Piangete, sì, piangete,
Che mentr’egli spargea
Tutto il suo sangue in croce,
Morendo sol dicea
Di pianto: Ho sete.
Piangete, sì, piangete.
Weep, weep, weep,
my sorrowful eyes,
and with thy bitter drops
pay to thy dead Lord
thy tribute of grief
in lamentation!
Weep, weep, weep,
for as He shed
His blood upon the Cross,
dying, He wept, and only said
these words: I thirst.
Weep, weep, weep!
Magdalene
Ahi, dolce mio Signore,
Le tue vene già vuote
Chiedan di poco umore
Alas, my sweet Lord,
Thy emptied veins
asked for the momentary relief
8
Text and translation
Momentaneo ristoro,
E il barbaro Israele
Bevanda sol di fiele
Ti porse: io lo rammento, e pur non moto?
of a few drops of water,
but cruel Israel
gave Thee only gall
to drink: can I recall this and yet not die?
Cleophas
Ahi, popolo crudele, popolo ingrato!
Chi per te già disciolse
Duri macigni in liquidi torrenti
Di purissimi argenti
Poche stille ti chiede;
Tu gli dai mercede
Un sì amaro liquore;
E in rammentarlo non si spezza il core?
Alas, cruel and hard-hearted race!
He who for you once dissolved
the solid rocks into torrents
of purest silver,
asked but a few drops of you;
you gave Him in reward
so bitter a liquid;
does the memory not break the heart?
Magdalene
O crude rimembranze!
O cruel recollection!
Cleophas
O funeste memorie! …
O direful memories! …
Magdalene
… tormentatemi pur! …
… come, wring my heart! …
Cleophas
… sì, sì, seguite
Ad accrescermi il duol, …
… yes, yes, continue
to increase my grief, …
Magdalene
… Che nel tormento, …
… for in torment, …
Cleophas
… che nell’angoscia ria, …
… for in bitter anguish …
Magdalene
… Io godo ancor, …
… I shall find joy …
Cleophas
… sollievo ancora io sento.
… solace shall yet be mine.
Magdalene
Se col pensiero afflitto
Vò lusingando almeno
… as by the anguish of my mind
my love may be augmented,
Please turn page quietly
9
Text and translation
Il mio desire, e parmi aver nel seno
Qualche martir del mio Gesù trafitto.
and then I feel within my breast some part
of the agony of my Jesus crucified.
Cleophas
Se nell’afflitta mente
Ho il mio Gesù presente,
E benché esangue ed impiagato, parmi
Che basti il volto suo per consolarmi.
If in my anguished mind
Jesus is ever present,
His face, though pale and drawn,
suffices to console me.
Magdalene
Dolci chiodi, amate spine,
Da quei piedi e da quel crine
Deh, passate nel mio sen,
Dolci chiodi, etc.
Sweet nails, beloved thorns,
come from those feet and from that brow
and pierce my breast.
Sweet nails, etc.
Cleophas
Cara effigie addolorata,
Benché pallida e piagata,
Sei mia vita, sei mio ben.
Dear sorrow-laden countenance,
though pale and lacerated,
thou art my life, my love.
Magdalene
Dolci chiodi, amate spine!
Sweet nails, beloved thorns!
Cleophas
Cara effigie addolorata, …
Dear sorrow-laden countenance, …
Magdalene
Cara effigie, etc.
Cleophas
… benché pallida, etc.
Dear sorrow-laden countenance, etc.
… though pale, etc.
St John
O Cleofe, o Maddalena,
Dei mio Divin Maestro amanti amate,
O quant’ invidio, quanto,
Quelle che ora versate
Stille di puro amor più che di pianto;
Spero presto vederle
Per coronare il mio Signor risorto,
Da rugiade di duol cangiarsi in perle.
O Cleophas, O Magdalene,
beloved lovers of my divine Master,
oh how much I envy
those drops of pure love rather than of tears
which you are shedding now;
‘tis my hope to see them soon
set in the diadem of my risen Lord,
transformed from dews of anguish into pearls.
Magdalene
Giovanni, tu che fosti
Del mio Gesù, discepolo diletto,
John, thou who wert
my Jesus’ beloved disciple,
10
Text and translation
E degl’arcani suoi
Segretario fedel, solo tu puoi
Di speme più tranquilla
Ravvivar nel mio sen qualche scintilla.
and faithful scribe
of His mysteries, thou alone
canst revive in my heart
some spark of calmer hope.
St John
Già la seconda notte
Da ch’egli estinto giacque,
Col carro suo di tenebroso gelo
Tutta varcò la sommità del cielo
E del Gange su l’acque
Attende già la risvegliata aurora
Del nuovo sole il lucido ritorno;
Ma il nostro Sole ancora
A noi tornar promise il terzo giorno.
Consoli dunque il vostro cor che geme
Una sì bella e sì vicina speme.
The second night
since He relinquished life
hath in his dark and icy chariot
now traversed the expanse of heaven’s vault,
and above Ganges’ waters
the newly awakened dawn awaits already
the bright resurgence of the rising sun.
But our Sun, too, hath promised
that on the third day He would return to us.
Then let your grieving hearts be comforted
by this sweet hope, so soon to be fulfilled.
Quando è parto dell’affetto,
Il dolore in nobil petto
Non estingue la costanza.
Quando è figlia della fede
Mai non cede
Al timore la speranza, etc.
Quando è parto, etc.
When it is born of love,
the grief of a noble heart
quenches not the flame of constancy.
When ‘tis the child of faith,
hope will never yield
to fear.
When it is born of love, etc.
Cleophas
Ma dinne, e sarà vero
Che risorga Gesù?
Tell us, is it true
that Jesus will rise again?
St John
S’egli l’ha detto,
Chi mai di menzognero
Oserà d’arguir labbro divino?
If He hath said so,
who shall dare accuse
lips divine of lying?
Magdalene
Su, dunque andiamo, e pria ch’il mattutino
Raggio dell’orizzonte il lembo indori,
Andiam non osservate al sacro avello,
Che almen potremmo in quello
Con balsami ed odori
Unger la fredda esanimata salma
Di chi fu già di noi la Vita e l’Alma.
Come, then, let us go, and ere the rays
of morning gild the rim of the horizon,
let us to the sacred tomb repair unseen,
for the least office we can do
is to anoint with balms and perfumes
the cold and lifeless body
of the One who was our life, our spirit.
Please turn page quietly
11
Text and translation
Cleophas
Pronta a seguirti io sono;
Ma speranza meglior mi rende ardita,
E di Giovanni ai detti
Spero viva trovar la nostra Vita.
Ready am I to follow thee;
but a greater hope emboldens me,
for, having heard the words of John,
I hope to find our Lord, our Life, alive.
Naufragando va per l’onde,
Debol legno, e si confonde
Nel periglio anche il nocchier.
Ma se vede poi le sponde
Lo conforta nuova speme,
E del vento più non teme
Né del mar l’impeto fier.
Naufragando va, etc.
O’erwhelmed by stormy waves,
the fragile bark may founder
and her steersman be dismayed
but if he then spy land
hope comforts him anew,
he no longer fears the wind
nor the fierce raging of the ocean.
O’erwhelmed by stormy waves, etc.
St John
Itene pure, o fide
Amiche donne, al destinato loco,
Ch’ivi forse potrete
Del vostro bel desio trovar le mete,
Mentr’io torno a colei che già per Madre
Mi diè nell’ultim’ore
Del suo penoso agone il mio Signore.
Go then, ye faithful and devoted women,
to the appointed place,
for there ye may find
your noble hearts’ desire;
I shall meanwhile return to our Lord’s Mother,
whom He, in His final hours,
entrusted to my filial devotion.
Magdalene
A lei ben opportuno
Il tuo soccorso fia,
Che in così duro scempio
Qual sia la pena sua so per la mia.
Thy support
will be most welcome to her,
for I, who have suffered greatly,
well know how she doth grieve.
St John
Ben d’ogn’altro più grande
Fu il dolor di tal Madre
Di tal Figlio alla morte;
Ma d’ogn’altro più forte
Ebbe in soffrirlo il petto; ed or costante
E ferma più d’ogn’altra ha la speranza
Di vederlo risorto; e se l’ottiene
La gioia allor compenserà le pene.
Far greater than any others’
was the grief of such a mother
at the death of such a Son;
but far greater than all others’
was her strength to bear such grief;
and firmer than all others’ is her hope
to see Him risen; if it be realised
the joy will compensate her for the grief.
Così la tortorella
Talor piange e si lagna.
Perchè la sua compagna
Vede, ch’augel feroce
Thus may the turtle-dove
weep and lament,
believing that her mate
hath been snatched from the nest
12
Text and translation
Dal nido gli rubò.
Così la tortorella, etc.
Ma poi, libera e bella
Se ritornar la sente,
Compensa in lieta voce
Quel gemito dolente
Che mesta già formò.
Così la tortorella, etc.
by a fierce bird of prey.
Thus may the turtle-dove, etc.
Yet when he returneth
free and in all his beauty,
her joyful song will compensate
the pitiful laments
she uttered in her grief,
Thus may the turtle-dove, etc.
Magdalene
Se Maria dunque spera,
E spera ancor Giovanni,
Anch’io dar voglio con sì giusta speme
Qualche tregua agli affanni;
Ma pure chi ben ama sempre teme,
E nell’amante mio misero core,
Benché speranza regni,
Bandir non può il timore.
Or degli opposti affetti
A chi debba dar fede
Vedrò volgendo il piede
All’adorato speco,
Tomba del mio Gesù; vade Giovanni
A consolar Maria; Cleofe, sia mecco.
If Mary may nourish hope,
and John doth too,
I also may allow so fair a hope
to give some respite to my distress;
but love and fear go ever hand in hand,
and in my poor loving heart,
though hope be strong,
it cannot cast out fear.
Which of these opposing feelings
I should trust the most
I shall see if I now take my way
to the sacred cave,
my Jesus’ sepulchre. Go, John,
to comfort Mary; Cleophas, come with me.
Ho un non so che nel cor,
Che in vece di dolor,
Gioia mi chiede.
Ho un non so che nel cor, etc.
Ma il core, uso a temer
Le voci del piacer,
O non intende ancor,
O inganno di pensier
Forse le crede.
Ma il core, etc.
Ho un non so che nel cor, etc.
A voice within my heart
invites my grief to be gone
and bids me to rejoice.
A voice within my heart, etc.
But my heart, suspicious ever
of pleasure’s flattery,
cannot yet comprehend
or else believes itself
the victim of deception.
But my heart, etc.
A voice within my heart, etc.
Please turn page quietly
13
Text and translation
SCENE 2
Angel
Uscite pure, uscite
Dall’oscura prigione,
Ove sì lunga ed orrida stagione
Questo giorno attendeste, anime belle!
Uscite pure, e uscite
A vagheggiare, a posseder le stelle!
Di quel Signor che ha vinto
Per voi la Morte e ‘l contumace Averno,
Il trionfo seguite.
E voi primi venite,
O primi padri delle umane genti,
Né s’odan più lamenti
Del vostro antico errore,
Or ch’ebbe in sorte un tanto Redentore.
Seguano gl’altri poi,
E per l’orme di luce
Che del divino Duce
Il glorioso piè stampa nell’ombre,
Da questo centro squallido e profondo
Sorgan con lui sovra l’aperto mondo.
Ma con eco festivo
Replichi prima il lor devoto labbro:
Come forth, come forth
from the dark dungeon
where for such a long and dismal age
ye have awaited this day, o blessed souls!
Come forth, I say, come forth
to gave upon and to possess the stars!
Join in the triumph
of the Lord who hath for you
conquered Death and Hell’s obduracy.
Be ye the first to come,
o first parents of the human race,
and let lamentations of your ancient sin
be heard no more,
now that the Redeeer’s hour is here.
Then let the others follow,
and along the path of shining prints
that the glorious feet
of the divine Leader leave on the dark way,
come forth from this deep and dismal place
and rise with Him into the open air.
But first with jubilation
let their devout lips repeat:
Angel
Il Nume vincitor
trionfi, regni e viva!
May the victorious God,
triumphant, reign for ever!
Chorus of Angels
Il Nume vincitor,
trionfi, regni e viva,
un Dio vincitor!
May the victorious God
triumphant, reign for ever,
an all-conquering God!
Angel
Viva e trionfi quel Dio così grande
Che i cieli spande,
Che al sol dà splendor.
Viva e trionfi, etc.
May He live triumphant, the mighty God
who hath spread out the heavens
and given the sun his light!
May He live triumphant, etc.
14
Text and translation
Chorus of Angels
Viva e trionfi, etc.
Per cui Cocito
Geme atterrito,
Da cui fu vinta la Morte ancor, etc.
Viva e trionfi, etc.
May He live triumphant,
before whom Cocytus
moaneth in terror,
He who hath conquered Death itself, etc.
May He live triumphant, etc.
Angel, then Chorus, as before
Il Nume vincitor, etc.
May the victorious God, etc.
INTERVAL 20 minutes
PART 2
Introduction
SCENE 1
St John
Di quai nuovi portenti
Ha la terra oggi ancora il sen fecondo?
Piansero gli elementi
Del lor Fabbro immortal la morte fiera,
E d’un giorno che spera
Di vederlo risorto,
Con gl’istessi tremori
Par ch’il suolo paventi i primi albori.
Ma forse dell’Inferno,
Che del Dio vincitor l’asta percosse,
Gli ultimi sforzi son, l’ultime scosse.
What new marvels doth the earth
yet bear within its fertile womb today?
The very elements have wept
for the cruel death of their immortal creator,
and this day, when we await
with hope to see him risen,
the earth doth shake again
as if it feared the dawn.
But these may be the final throes of Hell,
struck down by the spear of the triumphant God
and writhing in its last and fore-doomed struggles.
Ecco il sol, ch’esce dal mare,
E più chiaro che non suole
Smalta i prati, i colli indora.
Ecco il sol, etc.
Ma chi sa che di quel Sole,
Ch’oggi in vita ha da tornare,
Questo sol non sia l’aurora.
Ecco il sol, etc.
Behold the sun which rises from the sea,
and, shining with unwonted brilliance,
enamels the fields and gilds the mountain-sides.
Behold the sun, etc.
Perchance this sun may be
the herarld of that Sun which we expect
to rise again today, returned to life.
Behold the sun, etc.
Please turn page quietly
15
Text and translation
Ma ove Maria dimora
Se ho già vicino il piede,
Spero veder ben presto
Cangiata la speranza in certa fede,
E senz’alcun periglio
Lieta la Madre e glorioso il Figlio.
But now that I am close
to Mary’s dwelling,
soon I hope to see
her expectation changed to certainty,
and, all peril past,
the Mother joyful and the Son glorious.
SCENE 2
Angel
Risorga il mondo,
Lieto e giocondo,
Col suo Signor!
Risorga il mondo, etc.
Il Ciel festeggi,
Il suol verdeggi,
Scherzino, ridano
L’aure con l’onde,
L’erbe coi fior.
Risorga il mondo, etc.
Let all the world arise,
and rejoice
with the Lord!
Let all the world arise, etc.
Be jubilant, ye heavens,
flourish, o earth,
play and smile, ye breezes,
with the waves,
ye grasses with the flowers.
Let all the world arise, etc.
Di rabbia indarno freme
Coi mostri suoi l’incatenato Averno:
L’Odio, che oppresso geme,
La Crudeltà, che piange,
L’Invidia, che sospira,
L’Empietà, che delira,
L’Iniquità tremante,
Il Furor vacillante,
Sbighottita la Frode,
Deriso il Tradimento,
Vilipeso l’Orgoglio,
Del mio Signor risorto
Saran carro al trionfo e base al soglio.
In vain doth fettered Hell
with all its monsters rage:
Hatred, who defeated groans,
Cruelty who weeps,
Envy, who sighs,
Impiety, who raves,
trembling Iniquity,
vacillating Anger,
cowering Fraud,
derided Treachery,
contemptible Pride;
They shall of my risen Lord become
the triumph-car, the pedestal of His throne.
Lucifer
Misero! ho pure udito?
E in van per vendicarmi
Contro forza maggiore impugno l’armi?
Woe is me! Have I heard aright?
Do I then arm myself in vain
to seek revenge against superior power?
Angel
Sì, sì, contrasti in van; torna a Cocito!
Indeed, thou strivest in vain; return to Cocytus!
16
Text and translation
Lucifer
Perché al Ciel pria non torna
Il tuo risorto Nume?
Why doth thy risen Lord
not first return to Heaven?
Angel
Perché pria vuole in terra
Far della gloria sua noto il mistero.
Because He would first make known on earth
the mystery of his glory.
Lucifer
Noti gli oltraggi miei? No, non fia vero!
Make known my disgrace? No, never!
Per celare il nuovo scorno,
Le sue faci ancora al giorno
Con un soffio io smorzerò.
Per celare, etc.
E con tenebre nocenti
Delle inferme umane menti
Ogn’idea confonderò
Per celare, etc.
To conceal this latest shame
I shall snuff out His torches
this very day in a breath!
To conceal, etc.
And with noxious darkness
confound all processes
of feeble human thought,
To conceal, etc.
Angel
O come cieco il tuo furor delira!
Mira, folle, deh mira
Le donne pie che all’incavato sasso,
Sepolcro già delle divine membra,
Muovon veloce il passo!
A loro il Ciel commanda
Ch’io l’arcano riveli,
Ond’esse in publicarlo
A gli altri poi ne sian trombe fedeli.
How blind thy rage hath made thee!
Look, thou fool, pray look
at the pious women hastening
towards the hollowed rock which served
but now as sepulchre to the limbs divine!
Heaven commands
that I reveal the mystery to them,
that they may spread the word
as faithful messengers.
Lucifer
Impedirlo saprò …
I shall prevent that, …
Angel
Duro, duro è il cimento, …
Thy task will be hard, …
Lucifer
Impedirlo io saprò!
Ho ardir che basta.
I can prevent that!
My boldness will suffice.
Angel
… duro è il cimento;
lo dirà l’evento.
… thy task will be hard,
the outcome will tell.
Please turn page quietly
17
Text and translation
SCENE 3
Magdalene
Amica, troppo tardo
Fu il nostro piè;
Già il sol su l’etra ascende.
My friend, our steps
were too slow;
already doth the sun ascend the heavens.
Cleophas
Fu il cor troppo codardo,
Che della terra agl’improvvisi moti
Fe’ i nostri passi rimanere immoti.
Our hearts were too timid,
for the unexpected tremors of the earth
rooted our feet to the ground.
Magdalene
Or chi sa se potremo
Ricercar nella tomba il mio Tesoro.
Shall we now find
my beloved in the tomb?
Cleophas
Se son desti i custodi, io ben ne temo.
If the guards be awake, I am fearful indeed.
Magdalene
Io temo ancor, ma più il mio Nume adoro.
I too am fearful, but love of my Lord is yet stronger.
Per me già di morire
Non paventò Gesù, no, no.
Egli mi dà l’ardire,
Per lui nulla pavento,
Né morte, né tormento:
Quando ho Gesù nel cor, non temo più.
Per me già di morire, etc.
Jesus did not fear
to die for me, no, no.
He gives me courage,
for His sake I fear nothing,
not death, nor torture:
wih Jesus in my heart I fear no more.
Jesus did not fear, etc.
Lucifer
Ahi, ab borrito nome!
Ahi, come rendi, come,
Ogni mio sforzo imbelle!
Ahi, che vinto e confuso,
Atterrito e deluso,
Fuggo il Ciel, fuggo il suol, fuggo il mondo,
E del più cupo abisso
Torno a precipitar nel sen profondo!
Alas, that hated name!
Alas, how it doth rob me
of every vital force!
Alas, conquered and confounded,
terrified, outwitted,
I flee from Heaven, from Earth, from all the world,
and fall once more
into the lowest depths of Hell’s black pit!
18
Text and translation
SCENE 4
Cleophas
Vedo il Ciel che più sereno
Si fa intorno e più risplende.
E di speme nel mio seno
Più bel raggio ancor s’accende.
Vedo il Ciel, etc.
As I watch, the skies become
ever more serene, resplendent;
and the hope within my breast
burns with an ever brighter flame.
As I watch, etc.
Magdalene
Cleofe, siam giunte al luogo
Ove tomba funesta
Dell’amato Signor coprì la salma.
Cleophas, we have come to the place
where the cheerless tomb
closed o’er the body of our beloved Lord.
Cleophas
Parmi veder, sì, sì, vedo ben certo
Che è già l’avello aperto,
E su la destra sponda
Siede con bianca stola
Un giovane vestito.
I seem to see, indeed I now see clearly
that the tomb is already open,
and upon the right-hand side
a young man clad in robes of white
is seated.
Magdalene
O quale spira
Grazia dal volto suo, che mi consola!
Appressiamoci a lui, che già ne mira.
Oh, what consoling grace
radiates from his face!
Let us approach him, for he has seen us.
Angel
Donne, voi ricercate
Di Gesù Nazareno
Ove giacque già morto;
Ora non è più qui, ma è già risorto!
Al vostro puro affetto
Giust’ è che diano i Cieli
Così bella mercede
E un tal mistero a voi prima si sveli,
Per farvi araldi poi della sua fede.
Gitene dunque a publicarlo, e sia
Premio del vostro pianto
Della gioia commune il primo vanto.
Ye women who seek
Jesus of Nazareth
where once He lay in death,
He is no longer here, for He is risen!
Heaven is just reward
for your pure love
conferreth this sweet grace,
to be the first to whom the mystery is revealed
that ye may be the messengers of the faith.
Go then and tell the others,
and may your tears find reward
in that ye are the first to spread this joy.
Se per colpa di donna infelice
All’uomo nel seno
Il crudo veleno la morte sgorgò,
Dian le donne la nuova felice
As through the fault of an unhappy woman
death discharged its bitter poison
into the breast of man,
then let women bear the joyful news
Please turn page quietly
19
Text and translation
Che chi vinse la morte, già morto,
Poi risorto, la vita avvivò.
Se per colpa, etc.
that He who died and rose again
has thereby vanquished death, rekindled life.
As through the fault, etc.
Magdalene
Mio Gesù, mio Signore,
Già che reisorto sei,
Perché, perché t’ascondi agl’occhi miei?
My Jesus, my Lord,
now that Thou art risen,
why, oh why hidest Thou Thyself from me?
Può ben la fede, è vero,
Far che l’amore adori il gran mistero;
Ma come può l’amore
Esser contento a pieno
Se non manda il suo ben per gl’occhi al core?
Vò cercarti per tutto,
Ne sarà forse in vano,
Che da chi ben ti cerca,
Mai, dolce mio Tesor, tu sei lontano.
Love through faith can revere, ‘tis true,
the sacred mystery,
but how can love
be ever fully satisfied
if the heart be not blest by the sight of the beloved?
I shall seek Thee everywhere,
nor, perchance, in vain,
for from him who truly seeketh Thee,
never, sweet Beloved, art Thou far.
Del ciglio dolente
L’ondosa procella
In Iride bella
Cangiando, cangiando sen va.
Del ciglio dolente, etc.
E il cor che già sente
Vicino il suo Sole,
Da mesto e languente
Sereno si fa
Del ciglio dolente, etc.
Before the tempest’s fury
the frowning, leaden sky
dissolveth into the beauty
of an iridescent bow.
Before the tempest’s fury, etc.
And thus the heart that feeleth
the warm rays of its Sun,
casting off gloom and languour
becometh calm and clear.
Before the tempest’s fury, etc.
Cleophas
Sì, sì, cerchiamo pure
L’orme del nostro Amor,
Che fortunata sarà ben chi lo trovi!
Verso il bosco io men vado,
Mentre tu verso gli orti i passi movi.
Come, let us go now
and seek for our Beloved;
how happy will she be who findeth Him!
I shall go toward the wood,
take thou the path to the gardens.
Augelletti, ruscelletti,
Che cantando, mormorando,
Date lodi al mio Signore,
Insegnatemi dov’è, dov’è!
Augelletti, etc.
Fiori ed erbe, già superbe
Di lambir le sacre piante,
Little birds and brooklets
that with your songs, your murmurs,
give praises to my Lord,
tell me where He bideth!
Little birds, etc.
Flowers and grasses, proud
to have caressed the sacred Feet,
20
Text and translation
Deh mostrate a un cor amante
Le bell’orme del suo piè, etc.
Augelletti, etc.
reveal to a loving heart
which way they have gone,
Little birds, etc.
SCENE 5
St John
Dove sì frettolosi,
Cleofe, rivolgi i passi?
Whither dost thou go,
Cleophas, in such haste?
Cleophas
In traccia di Gesù, ch’è già risorto,
Come ancora Maddalena.
I seek for Jesus, who has risen,
as doth also Magdalene.
St John
Onde il sapeste?
How dost thou know this?
Cleophas
Sovra l’aperto avello,
Così a noi rivelò labbro celeste.
Seated upon the open tomb,
a celestial messenger spoke to us and told us.
St John
Così la Madre a me poc’anzi ha detto,
A cui prima d’ogni altro,
Del Figlio apparve il glorioso aspetto.
I too have heard it even now from His Mother,
to whom, before all others,
the glorious image of her Son appeared.
Cleophas
O come lieta avrà quel Figlio accolto!
How happily must she have welcomed her Son!
St John
Parve ch’il suo bel volto,
Di stille lacrimose umido ancora,
Del Sol divino all’improvviso raggio
Fosse tra riso e pianto un’altra aurora.
Poi la gioia veloce
Corse dal seno al labbro in questa voce.
Her lovely face,
still wet with tears,
brightened at the unexpected ray of the divine Sun,
and seemed, ‘twixt smiles and tears, another dawn.
Then the joy in her heart
coursed swiftly to her lips, and she said:
Caro Figlio!
Caro Figlio, amato Dio,
Già il cor mio
Nel vederti esce dal petto!
Caro Figlio, etc.
E se lento
Dear Son!
Dear Son, beloved Lord,
how my heart doth leap
at the sight of thee!
Dear Son, etc.
Though grief was slow
Please turn page quietly
21
Text and translation
Fu in rapirmilo il tormento,
Me lo toglie ora il diletto.
Caro Figlio, etc.
Magdalene
Cleofe, Giovanni, udite,
Udite la mia nuova alta ventura!
Ho veduto in quell’orto il mio Signore,
Che avea d’un suo guardian preso figura,
to tear that heart from me,
delight has stolen it now.
Dear Son, etc.
Ma dalle rozze spoglie
Uscia luce sì pura e così ardente,
Che pria degli occhi il ravvisò la mente.
Poi conobbi quel viso,
In cui per farsi bello
Si specchia il Paradiso.
Vidi le mani ancor, vidi le piante,
Ed in esse mirai, lucide e vaghe,
Sfavillar come stelle
Quelle ch’furon pria funeste piaghe.
A baciarle il mio labbro allor s’accinse,
Ma Gesù mi respinse, e dir mi parve:
Tu non mi puoi toccar! poscia disparve.
Cleophas, John, hear me,
hear what new wonder hath befallen me!
I have seen my Lord in the garden,
and though He appeared in the guise of one of
the keepers,
from the rough garments
radiated a light so pure, so intense,
I knew ‘twas He ere my eyes had seen Him.
Then I recognised that face,
upon which Paradise doth gaze
to beautify herself.
I saw the hands, I saw the feet as well,
and beheld in them, shining and beautiful
and sparkling like stars,
marks of the erstwhile deadly wounds.
Then did I approach to kiss them,
but Jesus forbade me, saying:
‘Touch me not!’ And then He vanished.
St John
Non si dubiti più!
We can doubt no longer!
Cleophas
Cessi ogni rio timore!
All cowardly fears now cease!
Magdalene
È risorto Gesù!
Jesus is risen!
St John
Viva è la nostra Vita, …
To life is restored our Life, …
Cleophas
… il nostro Amore!
… our Love!
22
Text and translation
Magdalene
Se impassible, immortale
Sei risorto, o Sole amato,
Deh fa ancor ch’ogni mortale
Teco sorga dal peccato.
Se impassibile, etc.
As Thou, invincible, immortal,
art risen, beloved Sun,
let every mortal being
rise with Thee, freed from sin.
As Thou, invincible, etc.
St John
Sì, sì, col redentore
Sorga il mondo Redento!
Come, come, with the Redeemer
let the world, redeemed, arise!
Cleophas
Sorga dalle sue colpe il peccatore!
Let the sinner rise, freed from his guilt!
Magdalene
Ed al suo Fabbro eterno
Ogni creatura dia lode ed onore!
And to the eternal Creator
let every creature give glory, laud and honour!
Chorus
Diasi lode in Cielo, in terra,
A chi regna in terra, in Ciel!
Diasi lode, etc.
Ch’è risorto oggi alla terra
Per portar la terra al Ciel.
Diasi lode in Cielo, etc.
Let praises sound in Heaven and Earth
to the King of Earth and Heaven!
Let praises sound, etc.
Who rose upon the Earth this day
That Earth might rise to Heaven.
let praises sound in Heaven, etc.
Libretto by Carlo Sigismondo Capece (1652–1728)
Translation by Anthony Hicks and Avril Bardoni © Decca.
Reprinted with kind permission.
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23
About the performers
Camilla Tilling soprano
After training as a pianist and
The Swedish soprano Camilla
organist, Emmanuelle Haïm
Tilling studied in Gothenburg
studied harpsichord with
and London before coming to
Kenneth Gilbert and
international prominence as
graduated from the Paris
Corinna in Rossini’s Il viaggio
Conservatoire with several
a Reims for New York’s City
premiers prix. She then
Opera. This was followed by
focused on conducting vocal
debuts with the Royal Opera
music, first at the Centre de
House, Covent Garden,
Musique Baroque de
Glyndebourne Festival
Versailles, and then at the Paris
Opera, La Monnaie, the
Conservatoire. She was also
Metropolitan Opera, New
invited to conduct many distinguished singers in recital,
York, Drottningholm and at the Aix-en-Provence Festival.
and developed a career as a continuo player as well.
Her roles have included Pamina (The Magic Flute),
She soon became increasingly in demand as a guest
Dorinda (Handel’s Orlando), Oscar (Un ballo in
conductor. In 2001 she scored a notable success with
maschera) and Arminda (La finta giardiniera). Last
Handel’s Rodelinda, then Theodora, for Glyndebourne season she appeared as the Governess in The Turn of
Touring Opera. Since then she has regularly appeared
the Screw for the Glyndebourne Festival, made her
at the Glyndebourne Festival, last summer conducting
Spanish opera debut in Orlando in Valencia and made
Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppaea there.
her role and house debut as the Angel in Messiaen’s
She also regularly conducts the City of Birmingham
St François d’Assise for the Netherlands Opera.
and Frankfurt Radio Symphony orchestras, Scottish
Equally at home on the concert platform, Camilla Tilling
Chamber Orchestra and Deutsches Symphoniehas appeared at the Salzburg and Vienna festivals, as
Orchester Berlin, and last year made her debut with
well as at the BBC Proms, Wigmore Hall and Carnegie
the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
Hall, among others. Among the orchestras with which she
In 2000 she gathered together a group of like-minded
has worked are the Berlin and Los Angeles Philharmonic
singers and instrumentalists to form her own Baroque
orchestras, Chicago, Danish Radio and San Francisco
music ensemble, Le Concert d’Astrée. A year later they
Symphony orchestras, Mahler Chamber Orchestra,
were given an exclusive recording contract, and within
Orchestre National de France and the Royal
three years the group had established a name for itself
Concertgebouw Orchestra.
at venues from Paris to New York, and at festivals both
Her discography includes Cherubini’s Mass in D minor
in France and internationally. In 2003 it was voted
with Riccardo Muti, Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 under
Outstanding Ensemble of the Year at the French Classical
Benjamin Zander, Belinda in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas
Music Awards.
under Emmanuelle Haïm, Grieg’s Peer Gynt with Paavo
Emmanuelle Haïm has made many award-winning
Järvi and Beethoven and Mozart under Paul McCreesh.
recordings with Le Concert d’Astrée featuring leading
Highlights this season include a return to Covent Garden
early-music singers. These range from operas by Handel,
for Hansel and Gretel, Idomeneo at the Palais Garnier
Monteverdi and Purcell via the sacred vocal works of
and Der Rosenkavalier at the Bayerische Staatsoper in
Bach and Handel to recital discs, including a CD of
Munich. In concert, she appears in Gothenburg, Essen,
Lamenti by Monteverdi, Carissimi, Cavalli, Landi and
Paris and Berlin as well as on the current tour with Haïm.
Strozzi.
She also releases her first solo recording: a selection of
Lieder by Richard Strauss with Paul Rivinius.
Anna Hult
Simon Fowler/Virgin Classics
Emmanuelle Haïm conductor
24
About the performers
Sonia Prina contralto
Born in London, Kate Royal
studied at the Guildhall School
of Music and Drama and the
National Opera Studio. Her
many awards include the 2004
Kathleen Ferrier Award, the
2004 John Christie Award and
the 2007 Royal Philharmonic
Society Young Artist Award.
In concert she has appeared
with the Orchestra of the Age
of Enlightenment under Sir Simon Rattle (BBC Proms and
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden), the Bach-Akademie
Stuttgart and National Symphony Orchestra
(Washington DC) under Helmuth Rilling, the Royal
Liverpool Philharmonic under Vassily Petrenko, the Berlin
Philharmonic under William Christie, and at the
Edinburgh Festival with Sir Charles Mackerras. She has
appeared in recital throughout Europe and North
America.
In opera she has sung Pamina for the Glyndebourne
Festival and the Royal Opera, Countess Almaviva and
Governess (The Turn of the Screw) for Glyndebourne on
Tour, Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) for both the
Teatro Real, Madrid, and the Glyndebourne Festival,
Poppea for English National Opera, Miranda (Thomas
Adès’s The Tempest) for the Royal Opera, Handel’s
L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato for the Paris
Opera, Micaëla (Carmen) for the Glyndebourne Festival
and Countess for the Aix-en-Provence Festival.
Kate Royal has recorded Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with
the Manchester Camerata and Schumann’s Liederkreis
with Graham Johnson. In October 2006 she signed an
exclusive recording contract and her first solo recording
with Edward Gardner and the Academy of St Martin in
the Fields was issued in the summer of 2007.
Recent and forthcoming engagements include concerts
with the Berlin Philharmonic and Rattle, Donna Elvira at
Glyndebourne, Pamina and Micaëla with the Bavarian
State Opera, and Pamina and Anne Trulove (The Rake’s
Progress) for the Royal Opera.
Sonia Prina studied voice and
trumpet at the Giuseppe Verdi
Conservatory in Milan before
joining La Scala’s Academy for
young singers.
Ribaltaluce Studio
Sussie Ahlburg
Kate Royal soprano
Among recent highlights are
the title-roles in Orlando
(Sydney Opera House),
Rinaldo (Teatro alla Scala,
Milan) and Mozart’s Ascanio
in Alba (Salzburg Festival),
Clarice in Rossini’s La pietra di Paragone (Théâtre du
Châtelet, Paris), Bradamante in Alcina and Cornelia in
Giulio Cesare (both for Munich Opera House).
She has a particular affinity with Handel, and has sung
the title-roles in Tamerlano, Giulio Cesare and Amadigi.
Other noteworthy performances have included Ottone in
Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppaea in Bologna
and Penelope in Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria in Cremona
and recently she sang The Messenger and Hope in
Orfeo with William Christie in Madrid. She has also sung
in Vivaldi’s Farnace under Jordi Savall in Madrid,
Vivaldi’s La senna festeggiante in Bordeaux, L’enfant et
les sortilèges for Teatro San Carlo, Naples, Anna Bolena
in Bergamo, L’italiana in Algeri in Torino and Il barbiere
di Siviglia at La Scala under Riccardo Chailly.
She also gives recitals in Europe, South America and
Japan. Her recordings include Vivaldi’s La senna
festeggiante, L’Olimpiade, Monteverdi’s Orfeo,
Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, Lotario
and Rodelinda, plus DVDs of Ascanio in Alba and La
pietra di Paragone. She has recently released a CD of
Vivaldi arias with Accademia Bizantina.
Among Sonia Prina’s future engagements are the titleroles in Vivaldi’s Orlando furioso in Frankfurt, Handel’s
Rinaldo for Glyndebourne and Handel’s Orlando for the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Ratmir (Glinka’s
Ruslan and Lyudmila) at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow
and Smeton (Anna Bolena) at the Teatro Liceu in
Barcelona.
25
About the performers
Toby Spence tenor
Lorenzo Regazzo bass
Mitch Jenkins
Toby Spence was a choral
scholar at Oxford, before
studying at the Guildhall
School of Music & Drama.
In concert he has sung with the
Cleveland Orchestra, Berlin
and Rotterdam Philharmonic
orchestras, London and
San Francisco Symphony
orchestras, Les Musiciens du
Louvre, Accademia Nazionale
di Santa Cecilia and the Orchestra of the Eighteenth
Century, among others, and has appeared at the
Salzburg and Edinburgh International festivals. He has
also recorded widely for many different labels.
He made his operatic debut as Idamante (Idomeneo) for
Welsh National Opera and his roles since have included
Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Ottavio (Don Giovanni),
Telemace (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) and Acis (Acis and
Galatea) for the Bavarian State Opera; for La Monnaie,
Brussels, he has sung Tamino (The Magic Flute) and
David (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg); Ferrando for
Hamburg Opera; Tamino, Male Chorus and Tom
Rakewell for the Teatro Real, Madrid, the latter role also
at the Theater an der Wien; and at Sante Fe Opera the
roles of Tamino and Ferdinand (Thomas Adès’s The
Tempest). He sang the Madwoman (Curlew River) at the
Edinburgh International Festival and in Alcina at the
Aix-en-Provence Festival. For the Opéra de Paris he has
appeared in Billy Budd, Les Boréades, Guillaume Tell,
Alcina, L’Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato, The
Rake’s Progress and Kata Kabanova. For English
National Opera his roles have included Fenton,
Ferrando, Tamino, Paris (La belle Hélène) and the titlerole in Candide, while at the Royal Opera House he has
sung the Simpleton (Boris Godunov), Ferdinand, Count
Almaviva and Ramiro (La Cenerentola).
Toby Spence’s future engagements include Tom
Rakewell for the Royal Opera House, Pylade (Iphigenie
en Tauride) in Hamburg, Henry Morosus in the new
production of Die Schweigsame Frau for the Bavarian
State Opera, his first Faust for ENO and his debut at the
Metropolitan Opera, as Laertes (Hamlet).
26
The bass Lorenzo Regazzo
was born in Venice and
studied singing with Sesto
Bruscantini, Regina Resnik and
Alain Billard. Particularly
acclaimed in Mozart and
Rossini, he has been a regular
guest at the Salzburg Festival
and the Rossini Opera Festival.
Among the conductors with
whom he has worked are
Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Sir Colin Davis,
Daniele Gatti, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Jesús LópezCobos, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, Sir Simon Rattle
and Marcello Viotti. He is also much in demand in
Baroque repertoire, and has performed and recorded
with Rinaldo Alessandrini, Emmanuelle Haïm, René
Jacobs, Andrea Marcon, Claudio Scimone and
Jean-Christophe Spinosi.
This season opened with L’elisir d’amore in Piacenza,
and other highlights include Rossini’s Maometto II in
Tokyo, Vivaldi’s Orlando furioso in Rome with the Venice
Baroque Orchestra and L’italiana in Algeri at the
Staatsoper in Berlin.
Lorenzo Regazzo’s future engagements include
Leporello (Don Giovanni) for the Teatro Comunale in
Bologna and at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich;
Mustafà (L’italiana in Algeri) for the Berlin Staatsoper
and the Teatro Regio in Torino; Don Alfonso (Così fan
tutte) and Selim (Il turco in Italia) for the Bayerische
Staatsoper in Munich; Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola)
for the Deutsche Oper in Berlin; The Marriage of Figaro
at the New National Theatre in Tokyo; I puritani at the
Grand Théâtre de Genève; and Agrippina at La Fenice
in Venice.
His discography includes Orlando furioso under Spinosi,
The Marriage of Figaro under Jacobs, which won a
Grammy and a Gramophone award, Don Giovanni
and Rossini’s Mosè in Egitto and L’inganno Felice. He
has also recorded several solo discs, most recently a
Handel recital under Alessandrini.
About the performers
Le Concert d’Astrée
Emmanuelle Haïm formed Le Concert d’Astrée in 2000.
Within three years it had established a name for itself, at
venues from Paris to New York, and at festivals both in
France and internationally. In 2003 it was voted
Outstanding Ensemble of the Year at the French Classical
Music Awards.
in Paris, Le Concert d’Astrée has also appeared at the
Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, London’s Barbican
Centre, New York’s Lincoln Center, the Vienna
Konzerthaus and the Berlin Philharmonie.
Frederic Iovino/Opéra de Lille
Le Concert d’Astrée has an exclusive recording contract
and a growing discography that includes Handel’s Aci,
In 2004 Le Concert d’Astrée became ensemble-inGalatea e Polifemo, Il delirio amoroso, Il Trionfo del
Tempo e del Disinganno and Dixit Dominus,
residence at Lille Opéra, where it has since given
Monteverdi’s Orfeo and Il combattimento di Tancredi e
performances of Handel’s Tamerlano, Monteverdi’s
Orfeo, Lully’s Thésée, The Marriage of Figaro, (After) the Clorinda, Bach’s Magnificat and cantatas with Natalie
Fairy Queen (staged by Wouter van Looy) and Giulio
Dessay, Mozart’s Mass in C minor, Carestini: The Story of
Cesare, among others, as well as concert performances a Castrato with Philippe Jaroussky, Purcell’s Dido and
of music ranging from Pergolesi to Mozart.
Aeneas and a disc of Lamenti by Monteverdi, Carissimi,
Cavalli, Landi and Strozzi. A recording of tonight’s work,
A staged production of Rameau’s Les Boréades in 2005
La Resurrezione, is due for future release.
saw the founding of the Concert d’Astrée Choir, which
Since 2007 Le Concert d’Astrée has enjoyed the support
has since played a regular part in the group’s opera
of Mécénat Musical Société Générale. It also receives
productions.
subsidies from the French Ministry of Culture and
As well as performing widely in France, including at the
Communication, through the Department of Cultural
Théâtre du Châtelet and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
Affairs (DRAC) for the Nord–Pas-de-Calais Region.
27
Orchestra list
Le Concert d’Astrée
Musical Director,
harpsichord/organ
Emmanuelle Haïm
Solo Violin
Julien Chauvin
Violin
Jérôme Akoka
Caroline Bayet
Matthieu Camilleri
Emmanuel Curial
Maud Giguet
Isabelle Lucas
Johannes Pramsohler
Agnieszka Rychlik
Paula Waisman
Viola
Laurence Duval
Diane Chmela
Marta Paramo
Cello
Atsushi Sakaï *
Claire Thirion *
Claire Gratton
Viola da gamba
Atsushi Sakaï
Double Bass
Nicolas dal Maso *
Lute
Laura-Monica
Pustilnik *
Flute
Alexis Kossenko
Oboe
Emmanuel Laporte
Jasu Moisio
Bassoon
Philippe Miqueu
Trumpet
Guy Ferber
Emmanuel Alemany
Harpsichord
Philippe Grisvard *
* continuo
Recorder
Alexis Kossenko
Jasu Moisio
Barbican Centre Board
Chairman
Jeremy Mayhew MBA
Deputy Chairman
John Barker OBE
Board Members
Christine Cohen OBE
Roly Keating
Maureen Kellett
Lesley King-Lewis
Catherine McGuiness
Joyce Nash OBE
Barbara Newman CBE
John Owen-Ward
Andrew Parmley
Sue Robertston
John Robins
Keith Salway
John Tomlinson
Clerk to the Board
Stuart Pick
Finance and Strategic
Planning Director
Sandeep Dwesar
Commercial and
Buildings Director
Mark Taylor
Development Director
Barbara Davidson
Personal Assistant to
Sir Nicholas Kenyon
Ali Ribchester
Head of
Communications
Leonora Thomson
Barbican Music
Department
Head of Music and
Arts Projects
Robert van Leer
Executive Producer
Barbican Directorate
Managing Director
Sir Nicholas Kenyon
Artistic Director
Graham Sheffield
28
Vicky Cheetham
Music Programmers
Gijs Elsen
Bryn Ormrod
Associate Music
Programmer
Chris Sharp
Programming Associate
Marie McPartlin
Programming
Consultant
Angela Dixon
Programming
Assistants
Katy Morrison
Merwynne Jones
Concerts Planning
Manager
Frances Bryant
Music Administrator
Thomas Hardy
Head of Marketing and
New Media
Chris Denton
Marketing Campaign
Managers
Bethan Sheppard
Greg Fearon
Marketing Assistant
Jessica Tomkins
Media Relations
Managers
Alex Webb
Annikaisa Vainio
Media Relations
Officers
Rupert Cross
Anna Omakinwa
Events Producer
Kat Johnson
Production Managers
Eddie Shelter
Jessica Buchanan-Barrow
Alison Cooper
Claire Corns
Kate Packham
Fiona Todd
Company Production
Manager
Rachel Smith
Technical Managers
Jasja van Andel
Ingo Reinhardt
Technical Supervisors
Mark Bloxsidge
Steve Mace
Technicians
Maurice Adamson
Jason Kew
Sean McDill
Martin Shaw
Tom Shipman
Associate Producer
Elizabeth Burgess
Stage Managers
Christopher Alderton
Julie-Anne Bolton
Platform Supervisor
Paul Harcourt
Senior Stage Assistants
Andy Clarke
Hannah Wye
Stage Assistants
Ademola Akisanya
Michael Casey
Robert Rea
Danny Harcourt
Producing
Administrator
Colette Chilton