Jephtha

back

Jephta is Handel's last oratorio and represents his last major work, since the progressive blindness that afflicted him was already present during the work's composition. It meant that he would compose nothing else of importance in the last 7 years of his life.

Jephta's plot is taken from the Bible, the Book of Judges, and concerns the vow made by the Israeli leader Jephta, who promises to sacrifice to Jehovah the first human he meets, if God grants him victory over the Ammonite tribes. Like Idomeneo, Mozart's King of Crete, Jephta first meets his daughter Iphis on his victorious return, although ultimately heaven intervenes and asks only a vow of celibacy and dedication to God from her instead of death. Thus poor, innocent Iphis's life is saved, although it might well turn out a little dull. Musically, Jephta contains magnificent choral passages, among Handel's very best, together with some very rich orchestration.

The starting time is 19h30 and will finish at approximately 23h30. There will be two intervals of twenty minutes and ten minutes respectively

A Pre-concert talk starting at 18h45 will be given by the eminent British Handel scholar, Dr Ruth Smith, who will be travelling especially to Cape Town to do these talks.

Limited parking is available in the church grounds for those who come early.

Venue: St Andrew's Presbyterian Church
Genre: classical music,opera,choral
Start Date: 20 August 2010
End Date: 21 August 2010
Artists: Colin Lee (tenor) who sings in the title role ‘Jephtha’ is originally from Cape Town and has had a spectacular rise in the operatic world singing in London (Covent Garden), New York (the Met), Vienna State Opera, Paris, etc. His current career centres round places like Covent Garden, Paris Opera, Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

For more on Collin read a recent New York Times Review on a recent performance.

Christopher Ainslie (countertenor), living in London and regularly singing in London (Covent Garden), Germany (Gottingen Handel Festival), Russia and the USA.
Sophie Harmsen (mezzo-soprano) living in Germany, singing in opera and oratorio in Europe. She recently sang in Bach's 'St Matthew Passion'' under the direction of Helmut Rilling on Good Friday.
Erica Eloff (soprano) originally from Gauteng, now living in London, winner of prizes for her singing, particularly in the works of Handel.
Aubrey Lodewyk (bass), living in Gauteng but trained in Cape Town. Last year he sang in the Cape Town Opera performance of 'Porgy and Bess' in the Royal Festival Hall in London and received an excellent review in London's 'Independent' newspaper.

St George's Singers
Camerata Tinta Barocca

Director(s): Barry Smith

Times: 19h30
A Pre-concert talk starting at 18h45 will be given by the eminent British Handel scholar, Dr Ruth Smith, who will be travelling especially to Cape Town to do these talks.

Price: R80
R100
R250

Book through Computicket

User Comments & feedback:

there are no comments on this event yet:

Please login to post your comments and feedback.