The online presentation of Handel’s The Resurrection – fully-staged and filmed at St. Lawrence Hall, in strict compliance with provincial health and safety regulations – streaming May 27, 2021 at 7pm ET (Available until June 10, 2021). The Resurrection marks the Canadian premiere of Handel’s first acknowledged operatic masterpiece and will feature some of the country’s finest interpreters of Handel’s music. The all-star cast includes Soprano Carla Huhtanen, Soprano Meghan Lindsay, Mezzo-Soprano Allyson McHardy, Tenor Colin Ainsworth, and Bass-Baritone Douglas Williams.
Handel’s The Resurrection details the events between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, centering on Christ’s resurrection following his crucifixion and burial. The narrative plays out simultaneously across two spheres: In the celestial realm, a combative Angel disputes Lucifer’s claims of victory, while on earth, Mary Magdalene, Mary Cleophas, and St. John the Evangelist, struggle to come to terms with the stark reality of Christ’s death.
To complement the presentation of Handel’s The Resurrection, Opera Atelier invites audiences behind-the-scenes for an up-close-and-personal experience with singers, Artists of Atelier Ballet, and Tafelmusik in the newly released documentary short film The Making of The Resurrection. The 30-minute documentary was filmed by Marcel Canzona at Koerner Hall and St. Lawrence Hall in March 2021 during a week of Opera Atelier rehearsals and recordings and provides unprecedented access into the creative process of mounting an opera during a pandemic. You can view The Making of The Resurrection here: operaatelier.com.
