Israël in Egypt

In Saanen, William Christie and Les Arts Florissants rediscover the joy of reviving Israel in Egypt in its complete original version, as it was first performed in London on 4 April 1739. One of Handel's most striking masterpieces, where dramatic power rivals spiritual elevation.

First performed in 1739, Israel in Egypt occupies a singular place in Handel's work. Primarily a choral work, this oratorio moves away from the individual narrative to reveal a collective voice, in turn revolted, overwhelmed and triumphant. Conceived as a choral fresco on a rare scale, Israel in Egypt bears witness to Handel's dramatic and spiritual ambitions at the dawn of the 1740s. The work, structured in three parts based on the Holy Scriptures, begins with the Lamentation of the Israelites on the death of Joseph, followed by the Exodus and finally the Song of Moses. A rarely performed tripartite version, testifying to Handel's art of sound painting and his genius for illustrating sacred texts with force and subtlety: frogs leap in the strings, hail falls in pointed strokes, the waters of the Nile close in on themselves in a suspended and subtle chromaticism...

Under the direction of William Christie, the work unfolds a veritable fresco of sound, articulating choral power and musical architecture with a rare intensity. Since its first performances in 1998 and its revival in 2017 at the Royal Albert Hall, William Christie has continued his exploration of the great English oratorios in Israel in Egypt, paying particular attention to the dramaturgy. Alongside him, the choir and orchestra of Les Arts Florissants serve up this familiar language with admirable accuracy, between brilliance and restraint, tension and lightness.