毫无疑问,在HANDEL众多清唱剧中,MESSIAH是目前录音最频繁,也是各大音乐会上上演次数比较多的巴洛克保留声乐剧目之一.不去说录音版本.仅仅是HANDEL时代的演出版本就很多,除去1742年在都柏林首演时的版本外,自1743年至1759年间,除去1744,46,47,48年未上演外,几乎年年演出,而且每次几乎都改变演出阵容,此剧屡演不衰,虽然是件好事,但也难免折射出大师作品挖掘录音稀少所面临的窘境.
这是MESSIAH的整体制作过程:
22 August 1741: GFH begins composing Messiah.
28 August 1741: Part I of Messiah completed in draft.
6 September 1741: Part II of Messiah completed in draft.
12 September 1741: Part III of Messiah completed in draft.
14 September 1741: Filling out of Messiah completed.
以下是1742年在都柏林的首演阵容:
First performance: 13 April 1742: Dublin, New Music Hall, Fishamble St. (Also 3 June for GFH's last concert in Dublin.)
Original cast from first performance :
Christina Maria Avolio (Avoglio) (soprano)
Susanna Maria Cibber (contralto)
Joseph Ward (countertenor) -- he sang : "Then shall be brought to pass", "O death, where is thy sting".
William Lambe (countertenor) -- he sang : "Behold a virgin shall conceive" and presumably also "O thou that tellest good tidings to Sion", "He that dwelleth in Heaven", and "Thous shalt break them".
James Baileys (tenor)
John Church (tenor)
John Mason (bass)
John Hill (bass) -- he sang a single air : "Why do the nations so furiously rage together?"
Matthew Dubourg : leader of the orchestra
Chorus members (16) : Baileys, Carter, Church, Colgan, Hall, Hill, Jones, Lambe, Mason, Phipps, Smith, Taverner, Taylor, Ward, Woffington, and Worrall.
There were also 16 boy choristors (trebles).
可见首演阵容极其复杂,而很明显的Joseph Ward ,William Lambe并非来自于意大利的阉人歌手,而极有可能是英国本土歌手,HANDEL为MESSIAH所设计的首演阵容不可谓不精细,而我个人对于这个首演阵容从目前录音角度来看,恢复的比较好的,可能只有2个版本
一个是BIS的SUZUKI录音,另一个就是MCGEGAN在HARMONIA MUNDI的91年录音了.
以下是自1743年到1759年间的再排版本:
23 March 1743: London, Covent Garden Theatre - first London performance of "A New Sacred Oratorio" (3 performances to 29 March)
Cast from 1743 revival :
Christina Maria Avolio (Avoglio) (soprano)
Catherine ("Kitty") Clive (soprano)
Miss Edwards (soprano)
Susanna Maria Cibber (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Thomas Lowe (tenor)
Henry Theodore Reinhold (bass)
9 April 1745: London, King's Theatre, Haymarket; probably with new settings of "Rejoice greatly" and "Their sound is gone out" (also 11 April)
Cast from 1745 revival :
Elisabeth Duparc, called "La Francesina" (soprano)
Miss Robinson (mezzo-soprano)
? Susanna Maria Cibber (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Henry Theodore Reinhold (bass)
23 March 1749: London, Covent Garden Theatre (1 performance)
Cast from 1749 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
"the boy" (treble) - a Chapel Royal chorister
Caterina Galli (contralto)
Thomas Lowe (tenor)
Henry Theodore Reinhold (bass)
12 April 1750: London, Covent Garden Theatre (1 performance) -- with new settings of "But who may abide the day of his coming?" and "Thou art gone up" composed for the alto-castrato Gaetano Guadagni.
1 & 15 May, 1750: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London
Cast from 1750 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano) - absent for one or more of the FHC performances.
Gaetano Guadagni (alto-castrato)
Caterina Galli (contralto)
Thomas Lowe (tenor)
Henry Theodore Reinhold (bass)
18 April & 16 May, 1751: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London
Cast from 1751 revival :
boy (treble)
Gaetano Guadagni (alto-castrato)
John Beard (tenor)
Henry Theodore Reinhold (bass) - 18 April; subsequently dies.
Robert Wass (bass) - 16 May
25 March 1752: London, Covent Garden Theatre (also 26 March)
9 April 1752: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London
Cast from 1752 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano) - 25 March; absent 9 April
boy (treble) - 9 April
Caterina Galli (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Robert Wass (bass)
13 April 1753: London, Covent Garden Theatre (1 performance)
1 May 1753: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London; GFH plays organ concerto & voluntary.
Cast from 1753 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
Gaetano Guadagni (alto-castrato)
John Beard (tenor)
Robert Wass (bass)
5 April 1754: London, Covent Garden Theatre (1 performance)
15 May 1754: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London; Probably last time under GFH's direction.
Cast from 1754 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
Christina Passerini (soprano)
Caterina Galli (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Robert Wass (bass)
19 March 1755: London, Covent Garden Theatre (also 21 March)
1 May 1755: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London
Cast from 1755 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
Christina Passerini (soprano)
Caterina Galli (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Robert Wass (bass)
9 April 1756: London, Covent Garden Theatre (1 performance)
19 May 1756: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London
Cast from 1756 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
Christina Passerini (soprano)
Caterina Galli (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Robert Wass (bass)
30 March 1757: London, Covent Garden Theatre (also 1 April)
5 May 1757: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London
Cast from 1757 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
Christina Passerini (soprano)
Caterina Galli (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Robert Wass (bass)
10 March 1758: London, Covent Garden Theatre (also 15 and 17 March)
27 April 1758: Foundling Hospital Chapel, London
Cast from 1758 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
Cassandra Frederick (soprano)
Isabella Young (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Samuel Champness (bass)
30 March 1759: London, Covent Garden Theatre (3 performances to 6 April)
Cast from 1759 revival :
Giulia Frasi (soprano)
Signor Ricciarelli (alto-castrato)
Isabella Young (contralto)
John Beard (tenor)
Samuel Champness (bass)
