Voices Chorale performs at Trinity Church in December 2013.
VOICES Chorale and Princeton Pro Musica are set to present Handel’s Samson as part of their Handel Festival.
VOICES will be joined by six soloist and the Pro Musica Orchestra for the performance scheduled for March 23 at St. James Roman Catholic Church, 115 Delaware Ave. Pennington.
Orchestra members are set to play early instruments during the performance. Audience members are invited to arrive at 2:30 p.m. for a demonstration of these historical instruments.
VOICES is producing the full Samson oratorio, written just two years after Messiah, when Handel was at the height of his skill in choral writing. Like Messiah, there are a great variety of choruses in Samson—slow and somber, fast and jubilant, exciting and reflective.
Throughout this work, the chorus changes roles from Israelites and supporting Samson to portraying the conquering followers of Dagon and the handmaids of Dalila.
VOICES music director, Dr. Lyn Ransom is set to conduct to the performance.
A pre-concert symposium is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 6 at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon St., Princeton. Nigel Smith and Wendy Heller, both from Princeton University, and Ransom will discuss Milton’s play, Newburgh Hamilton’s libretto, and Handel’s music in preparation for the performance. Additionally, tenor David Kellett, performing the role of Samson, will share selected arias.
Advanced rickets for Samson are $45 for preferred seating, $30 general admission and $10 for children and students.
More information is online at voiceschorale.org.
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