
Movie spotlight
Händel / Mozart: Der Messias
Known as a creator of astonishing images, stage director and visual artist Robert Wilson delivers a magnificent production of Mozart’s adaption of Handel’s Messias. Mozart was commissioned by Gottfried van Swieten to modernise the score fifty years after Handel’s popular composition (1742), mainly by arranging the wind parts and partially re-composing them. With Marc Minkowski a conductor has been engaged who understands perfectly how to combine baroque style with the tonal possibilities of an orchestra of the classical period like the Musiciens du Louvre. The excellent soloist quartet with Elena Tsallagova, Wiebke Lehmkuhl, Richard Croft and José Coca Loza merges perfectly into Wilson’s enormous flood of images.
Insights
Plot Summary
This production of Handel's Messiah, re-orchestrated by Mozart, presents a unique fusion of two Baroque and Classical masters. The oratorio tells the story of Jesus Christ, from prophecy and his birth to his death and resurrection, through a series of recitatives, arias, and choruses. Gottfried Wagner's staging emphasizes the dramatic and emotional core of the music, offering a fresh perspective on this beloved work.
Critical Reception
This production of Handel's Messiah, with Mozart's re-orchestration, has been praised for its ambitious concept and strong vocal performances. Critics have noted the interesting juxtaposition of Handel's original grandeur with Mozart's more intimate and dramatic touch. While some found the staging conventional, the musical interpretation and individual contributions of the soloists were generally well-received.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for the powerful vocal performances of the soloists.
The re-orchestration by Mozart is seen as an intriguing and effective reimagining of Handel's work.
The production offers a compelling interpretation of the Messiah's narrative through music.
Google audience: Audience reception for this specific recording is not widely documented on Google platforms. However, recordings of Handel's Messiah are generally held in high regard by classical music enthusiasts for their spiritual and musical depth.
Fun Fact
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart re-orchestrated Handel's Messiah in 1789, adding parts for woodwinds and modifying the harmonic structure, to make it more palatable to the tastes of his time. This production utilizes Mozart's 1789 arrangement.
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