William Berger joins Philharmonia Baroque for Judas Maccabaeus

William Berger

The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra will perform Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, a loose telling of the story of Hanukkah. Despite telling the story of the Maccabees, it has never quite evolved into a Jewish alternative to the composer's far more popular Messiah.

The oratorio was written five years after Messiah in 1746 and was premiered at the Covent Garden Theatre in London the following year.

Philharmonia Baroque's performance will feature barihunk William Berger as Simon, who sings the aria “Arm, arm, ye brave!” He'll be joined by the sensational tenor Nicholas Phan, soprano Robin Johannsen, mezzo-soprano Sara Couden and baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan conducting. 

Gerald Finley sings “Arm, arm, ye brave!”:

Handel's oratorio had a far more secular inspiration than the biblical text might suggest, as it was composed in commemoration of the British defeat of Charles Stuart’s Jacobite forces at the battle of Culloden in April 1746.

The events depicted in the oratorio are from the period 170–160 BC when Judea was ruled by the Seleucid Empire which undertook to destroy the Jewish religion. Being ordered to worship Zeus, many Jews obeyed under the threat of persecution; however, some did not. One who defied was the elderly priest Mattathias who killed a fellow Jew who was about to offer a pagan sacrifice. After tearing down a pagan altar, Mattathias retreated to the hills and gathered others who were willing to fight for their faith.

The oratorio will be performed on December 5 in San Francisco, December 6 in Palo Alot and on December 7 and 8 in Berkeley. Tickets are available online.

Romain Dayez gets biblical and whimsical

Romain Dayez (photo © Pierre Bongert)

Barihunks calendar model Romain Dayez a few interesting performances coming up on his calendar. On November 28 and 29, he'll perform in Handel's Judas Maccabaues at the Collège Don Bosco in Brussels, Belgium with the vocal ensemble Cantus Firmus and the Brussels Chamber Orchestra.

Gerald Finley sings "Arm, arm ye brave" from Judas Maccabeaus:

From December 2-February 2, he plays the King in Graciane Finzi's new opera Peau D’âne, based on an incestuous fairy tale by 17^th century author Charles Perrault. Performances will be at the Espace Paris-Plaine, Carrè Belle-feuille in Boulogne-Billancourt and the Théâtre de la Lanterne in Rambouillet

In the opera, the king promises his dying wife only to remarry a woman as beautiful as herself. He decides that the only woman who can meet that standard is his daughter, Horrified, the daughter seek the advice of her fairy godmother, who tells her to create marital demands so extreme that they can't be met. She demands that she be given three dresses made of immaterial materials. The first is to be made of the “sky” and should be as light and airy as the clouds. The second is to be made of “moonbeams” and should reflect the same lyrical intensity as the moon at night. The third, and last, is to be made of “sunlight” and should be as blinding and warm as the sun above. The opera also involved a donkey that poops gold and a prince who saves the day.

On January 17, he'll join accompanist Charles Mignot for a recital of music by Fauré, Franck, Chausson, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, Caplet, Boulanger and Poulenc. The performance will be at the Musée des Instruments de Musique and tickets will be available at the door.

You can enjoy Romain Dayez in the 2016 Barihunks calendar along with 17 more of opera's hottest men. You can order before the holiday rush HERE. Proceeds will fund a song prize for baritones/basses, as well as commissions for new music.

Romain Dayez and Jason Duika

You can also enjoy the Marco Vassalli calendar by clicking HERE. Proceeds from the sale will go to fund his US debut in January.