Organization

Singer

Contralto

Franco Fagioli

Solomon

Soprano

Bernarda Bobro

Queen of Sheba

Kirsten Blaise

Queen of Solomon

Agnes Scheibelreiter

1. Woman

Mezzo-soprano

Ida Aldrian

2. Harlot

Tenor

James Oxley

Zadok

Bass

Günter Haumer

Levite

Conductor

Martin Haselböck

Matthew Halls

MusikTheater an der Wien

Others

Chorus Sine Nomine

Orchestra

Orchester Wiener Akademie

Wiener Akademie

Vienna

Austria

Theater an der Wien

Approved

Handel used the summer months of 1748 to compose oratorios for the coming season and wrote the two different works Solomon and Susanna . The author of both librettos is unknown today.
Based on the biblical Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles as well as the Antiquitates Judaicae by Flavius ​​Josephus, the unknown poet draws three large-scale images of the reign of Solomon in Solomon. No continuous plot is portrayed, but rather homage to a ruler of antiquity in allegorical scenes.

Handel's Solomonbut did not glorify the ruling king, but rather called on the subjects to compare social ideals and real rulership virtues using the example of Solomon. For this, Handel wrote one of his most mysterious scores full of musical ambiguities. The subtle irony of the oratorio, in which the future of psychologically differentiated music theater is already being heard, may have disturbed the audience at the time. Solomon had only four performances after the world premiere during Handel's lifetime.

English

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Ensemble