Above : Brett Weymark, conductor. Photo credit : Keith Saunders.
Over just the last decade of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs’ century plus performing history, Sydney audiences have been treated to some of the most glorious major works from the choral canon during Easter or its approaching week.
To name just a few, these have included Bach’s Magnificat, St Matthew Passion, St John Passion, Mozart’s Mass in C minor. This year, in a departure from music celebrating the life and death of Jesus Christ, we were treated to Handel’s huge old testament drama, Samson, written just after Messiah.
We have all heard fragments of this biblical tale. The star is hulkish Hebrew Samson whose superhuman strength was linked to his hair and was betrayed along with his romantic heart by Delilah – ‘the serpent manifest’. He finally escapes the Philistine cell in Gaza which this betrayal of secrets brought him to. With renewed God given physical power he finally destroys the Philistine temple, killing many and sacrificing himself.
Here our Handelian hero, Samson was sung with consistent colourful, believable beauty and earnest delivery by Alexander Lewis. The early recitatives and arias he performed as the Samson, now captured, blind and broken, such as the chilling ‘Total Eclipse’, set the tone for a formidable characterisation and secure sure-voiced offering over the almost three-hour work.
Above: Alexander Lewis sung the role of Samson. Photo Credit : Amelia Dowd
Handel sets this tale with a truly striking sonic mesh. Dramatic focus, pointed scenes and complete characters, instrumental sound effects and fine text setting make this one of the most thrilling encountered within his impressive oratorio output.
There was a beautifully nuanced treatment of the score, blithe characterisations, Herculean phrasing and pleasing ensemble contrasts. There was a forward feel and flow between recitatives, solo arias, narrative comment, dialogue, and expansion to crowd comment or choral elaboration on some of the scene details.
The exchanges on stage between Alexander Lewis’ Samson and Celeste Lazarenko’s Dalila had all the heightened frozen glances of soap opera as well as the loaded, crowd-pleasing finesse of opera.
These human gestures of soloists were complemented by Handel’s musical gestures from orchestra and choir. These were well realised via the clean precision of Brett Weymark’s interpretation. The sprawling work enjoyed crispness as this version harnessed all forces for joyous or intense results as needed with a sucessful momentum to the drama.
Above: Celeste Lazarenko performed the roles of Dalila and Israelite Woman. Photo credit – Dillon Savage.
A glorious blend existed between front of stage soloists, the instrumental complexities and soloists from within the choir stalls. The superb new Opera House Concert Hall acoustic plus skilled singing and pleasing momentum enhanced these exchanges.
The orchestral tapestry was nicely nuanced to set scenes and moods various across the work’s expanse. Musical gems from this work, famous or not, were delivered freshly and measured dramatically to build the story and rivalries between the strong characters.
The story’s characters were in good hands here. Celeste Lazarenko’s clarity of text delivery and emotional arc was impressive in this cast. Her vocal tone excelled from haughty depths fitting a erring lover to the delicately rendered upper register stratosphere via warm lyrical moments as her lithe character’s contradictory infatuation was described.
Lazarenko worked beautifully with the instrumentalists and choir during the touching ‘My faith and truth O Samson prove…’. The solo virgin part in echo resonanted besutifully from the choir stalls by member Stephanie Mooney. This section of the work following fiery dialogue was a blessed instance of music making amidst other excellence and emotion from soloists and ensemble.
Above: Andrew O’Connor performed the role of Harapha and was impressive in his Sydney Opera House Concert Hall debut. Photo credit: Jared Liebowitz.
Lazarenko has worked often with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs in the past. Her work here as the Israelites Woman character in addition to Dalila was also well coloured and elevated. Her ‘Let the Bright Seraphim’ helped guide this musical journey to a beautifully gilded close.
Russell Harcourt’s clean, agile narrative voice as the character Micah with tone and timbre flicking expertly between smirking humour, religious fervour or shock. This role, with a volume of singing, was expertly handled and was always a listening treat.. This performance confirms his popularity as a counter tenor successful both in our culture and others.
Andrew O’Connor was perfectly cast as Harapha, pushing the imprisoned Samson to prove his failed strength and the might of his Hebrew God.
The loved ‘Honour and Arms’ aria for this character contains challenging, relentless shapes and pace. This singer’s attack showed exemplary oratorio stage presence with bold, smooth strength. All expressions and Dagon-loving Hebrew-hater personality was emitted in expert caricature.
Above: Christopher Richardson performed the role of Manoah, Samson’s father. Photo credit: Daniel Sommer.
Samson’s father Manoah was beautifully sung by Christopher Richardson. His recitative expression and sincere tone worked beautifully in the story and to complete this cast. Many moments from this character singer led into evoctaive excellence from the choir- none more touching than his moments of heartbreak following the announcement of Samson’s death and the hauntingly beautiful Choir of Israelites rendition of the chorus. ‘Glorious Hero…’
Well directed stamina and dramatic focus of choir interjections, included some effective choreography like the choir moving slowly from sit to stand position whilst singing. Choir crowd scene cries from choristers as sound effect was a successful and unique addition in this oratorio’s vivid production.
This oratorio was excellently staged and sung as a powerful package by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, which led to a foot stamping ovation. It was another worthy instalment in the choir’s pre-Easter programming and a significant celebration of Handel’’s dramatic prowess in oratorio mode.
