La Resurrezione, HWV.47 (Vocal score)
Description
The Italian oratorio "La Resurrezione" (The Resurrection) was
written during Handel's time in Rome. It was performed on Easter
Sunday 1708 with great splendour and extravagance by a large
orchestra conducted by Arcangelo Corelli in the Palazzo Bonelli,
the Roman palazzo of Handel's patron the Marchese Francesco Maria
Ruspoli.
In its dramatic structure and characterisation of the protagonists,
the work displays a striking affinity with Italian opera.
Lucifer's raging sixty fourth notes call to mind the demon
characters in Venetian opera and Maddalena's arias are so full of
expressive power and virtuosity that Handel later incorporated one
of them into his opera "Agrippina". The unusual musical richness of
this work and the virtuosic and masterly shaping of the arias make
it a welcome addition to any concert programme.
The edition is based on the complete edition volume of the "Halle Handel Edition" (BA 4096), making the complete music text of the oratorio available for the first time.