Georg Friedrich Handel: Belshazzar, HWV 61 [3CD]

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Liner Notes:
“Belshazzar was first performed in 1745, under difficult conditions. Ever the pragmatist, Handel did not hesitate to revise his work to adapt to the various constraints of the premiere and its subsequent revivals. Surprisingly unscrupulous, he frequently accepted the most dreadful compromises involving mutilating cuts, transpositions, sacrificing his inspiration in order to facilitate a performance. For this recording we have chosen what we consider to be the most successful of the various versions of Belshazzar given in his lifetime, resulting in the restoration of the piece in all its splendour, with the best of the music and a coherent libretto. I am particularly pleased that the first production for our new label does justice to a libretto whose subject is so relevant today: the decline of a once glorious society and the ephemeral nature of Empire. In Belshazzar everything hits the spot: the emotional power, the vivid imagery, the contemporary resonance. How could one not be struck by the majestic architecture of the choruses, by the characterisation of Belshazzar himself, irascible, alcoholic, affronting the divine word? Andwho could not be deeply moved by Nicrotis’grief at witnessing the downfall of her son, or by the extraordinary complicity that develops between herself and Cyrus, the conquering King of the persians? From beginning to end the piece is carried along by Jennen’s humanity and the universality of Handel’s music. I have opted for a very fine and entirely Anglophone cast. All of us had our hearts set on restoring the dramatic force and emotional power to this magnificent music. Other considerations influenced our choice — the very scale of Belshazzar made it possible to draw on a large number of musicians and singers who have been part of Les Arts Florissants for many ears, ensuring the recording bears the unmistakeable stamp of the company”
by William Christie