JAMOnline: Handel's Biblical Heroes & Villains - Joseph Edition [March 26, 2021]

PBO’s Jews & Music/JAMOnline announces a new series within a series: Handel’s Heroes & Villains, exploring the rich personalities of the Old Testament who bring to life the stories, fury, and passions that lurk beneath the heroes and villains that figure prominently in Handel’s epic operas and oratorios.
Episode 1 - Joseph: We start with the story of Joseph - a tale of paternal jealousy, immigration, human trafficking, seduction, court intrigue, dreams, and possibly love. Music Director Richard Egarr and Jews & Music Scholar-in-Residence Francesco Spagnolo rethink this narrative, intersecting the Old Testament and its commentaries with the music of Handel’s Joseph and His Brethren. Written in 1743 and performed and recorded most recently by Philharmonia in 2017, this oratorio carries us through the many tales of family drama.
Jews & Music is made possible with generous support from the Koret Foundation.
with hosts
RICHARD EGARR, Music Director
FRANCESCO SPAGNOLO, Jews & Music Scholar-in-Residence
featuring selections from
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759)
Joseph and His Brethren, HWV 59
Joseph: "Come, divine inspirer, come"
Diana Moore, mezzo-soprano
Laurence Cummings, harpsichord
Asenath: "O lovely youth, with wisdom crown'd"
Sherezade Panthaki, soprano
David Fung, piano
Simeon: "Remorse, confusion, horror, fear"
Nicholas Phan, tenor
Robert Mollicone, piano
Joseph: "The peasant tastes the sweets of life"
Diana Moore
Laurence Cummings
Simeon: "Impostor!"
Nicholas Phan
Robert Mollicone
Asenath: "Prophetic raptures swell my breast"
Sherezade Panthaki
David Fung