I always understood that an important reason for Handel to get into the
oratorio line of business, and incidentally to 'create' the heroic tenor
voice, was that the anti-Handel faction had cornered Porporina, Senesino
and even the visiting Farinelli for their own production company (which I
think ended up flopping). In any case I think the success of "Messiah" was
in some way the beginning of a number of trends in later vocal music.
Without going all the way over to the relevant texts, to get details (I
will if I must!) I can tell you that the first performances of 'Messiah'
were in Dublin and the London performances were somewhat later, but must
have been considered 'first' by those who felt that civilzation stopped
north of the Watford Gap :o) john
At 10:20 PM 6/7/00 +0100, you wrote:
>Tako Oda wrote:
>
>
>> I *think* an English cathedral countertenor ("O Death")
>> shared the stage with Senesino ("Who May Abide") for the first
>> performance of Messiah (anyone know for sure?), but that is an
>> oratorio...
>
>I find no record of Senesino ever having been involved in Messiah under
>Handel. The first performance featured one female soprano, one
>contralto, Susanna Cibber, a great favourite with Handel, and Joseph
>Ward and William Lambe, both described as counter-tenors. Lambe,
>incidentally, is credited with singing "Thou shalt break them" which is
>usually a tenor solo. In the revivals in 1743 and 1745 and 1749 no
>counter-tenors are named at all, but a plurality of sopranos - also an
>unnamed boy treble in 1749.
>
>12 April 1750: London, Covent Garden Theatre (1 performance) -- with new
>settings of "But who may abide the day of his coming?" and "Thou art
>gone up" composed for the alto-castrato Gaetano Guadagni.
>
>This was the only castrato to sing in Messiah under Handel's direction,
>and in most performances he preferred a contralto.
>--
>Linda Fox, Cambridge, UK
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Would you like to save big on your phone bill -- and keep on saving
>more each month? Join beMANY! Our huge buying group gives you Long Distance
>rates which fall monthly, plus an extra $60 in FREE calls!
>http://click.egroups.com/1/2567/5/_/843894/_/960412747/
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>vocalist-temporary-unsubscribe@o...
>
>
>
>
John Blyth
Baritono robusto e lirico
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
|
|  |
