Opera Atelier announces the much anticipated finale of its 2022/23 season Handel’s The Resurrection, on stage April 6 and 8 at 7:30pm and April 9 at 2:30pm at Koerner Hall. The Resurrection marks the Canadian premiere of Handel’s first acknowledged masterpiece in a fully-staged production for a live audience.
Written for Easter of 1708, Handel’s The Resurrection details the events between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and the tension leading up to Christ’s resurrection following his crucifixion and burial. The narrative plays out simultaneously across two spheres. In the celestial realm, a militant Archangel demands entrance to Hades and disputes the claims of a boastful Lucifer, insisting Christ’s death was an act of sacrificial love. Always the consummate showman, Handel ensured the opera is not without its moments of humour, as the Archangel and Lucifer spar for the upperhand. Meanwhile on Earth, Mary Magdalene, Cleophas and St. John the Evangelist struggle to make sense of Christ’s brutal death. Handel’s astonishingly sensual score and vivid word painting act as a catalyst for an exceptional play of emotions for all of the protagonists.
The multi-level set features double staircases leading from the choir loft to the floor of the concert hall, delineating the supernatural and earthly worlds. The set also features two enormous pulpits for exclusive use by the Archangel and Lucifer, mirroring the story’s liturgical foundation. The staging is further enhanced by the evocative lighting design of Kimberly Purtell and the gorgeous costume design by Michael Legouffe.
