HANDEL ’ S Jephtha Saturday, October 15 at 7:30pm Sunday, October 16 at 2:30pm Zilkha Hall Hobby Center for the Performing Arts matthew dirst Artistic Director FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PROGRAM NOTES This weekend Ars Lyrica Houston is delighted to present andel began work on Jephtha, his final oratorio, the Houston première of Handel’s Jephtha. We’re especially on January 21, 1751. Unlike his schedule for most happy to welcome to the Zilkha Hall stage six superb soloists, Hsuch works, which typically required four to six a crack period-instrument orchestra, and one of the finest weeks to compose, this project took seven months to finish. collegiate chorales anywhere. All are essential to the success The unexpected death, on March 20, of the Prince of Wales of a Handel oratorio: this is, after all, a genre invented shuttered the doors of London’s theaters for an obligatory precisely to take advantage of such disparate performing period of public mourning, effectively cancelling the forces. We’re also grateful to be able to present this spring oratorio season. Handel’s increasingly frail physical extraordinary work twice on the same weekend at Zilkha Hall, in what we hope will become a new pattern for Ars condition further delayed the première of Jephtha. By the Lyrica as it presents major works like oratorios and operas. early 1750s his eyesight was failing: on the last manuscript page of the chorus “How dark, O Lord, are thy decrees” We look forward to seeing you next on December 31, for (at the end of Act 2), Handel noted that his deteriorating our next 2016/17 subscription program and our annual left eye made further progress on the work impossible. New Year’s Eve gala. Bachanalia 2016 includes celebratory cantatas for this special holiday season plus a concerto by Recuperation in the countryside eventually enabled completion of the great Leipzig master. Tickets for the pre-concert the oratorio on August 30 of the same year, and Jephtha was heard dinner at 7:30 pm, the program itself at 9 pm, and the for the first time on February 26, 1752, as part of a Lent season of post-concert gala are now on sale, so reserve your seats twelve programs. Revivals of the work in 1753, 1756, and 1758 ensured soon for Houston’s most elegant New Year’s Eve celebration this oratorio a prominent place in Handel’s legacy, alongside other and ring in 2017 in style with us! Old Testament works like Samson and Solomon. More than a few of its arias and choruses are frequently excerpted, and the dramatic 2016/17 Fables & Follies brochures are also available trajectory of the whole is particularly well calibrated across three acts, this evening in the Zilkha Hall Lobby. As always, each with memorable highlights. additional information on all Ars Lyrica activities can be found on our website: www.arslyricahouston.org. Its story is taken from the Book of Judges, Chapter 11, as filtered through various retellings, including an influential 16th-century Scottish With many thanks for your support and patronage. play, George Buchanan’s Jephthes sive Votum. The son of a harlot, We hope you enjoy the performance. Jephtha is an outcast within the patriarchal society of ancient Israel until he proves himself as a guerilla fighter. Seeking a strong man to deliver the tribe from an existential threat, the Israelites choose Jephtha to lead them in battle against the Ammonites. Accepting his command on bended knee, Jephtha promises God that if he is victorious, he will offer in sacrifice whatever comes out of his house first to greet him upon his matthew dirst return. Fatefully, his over-eager daughter leads the way, thus turning a Artistic Director scene of great rejoicing into the darkest of tragedies. DESIGN: SPINDLETOP DESIGN SPINDLETOP DESIGN: 1 Like many an operatic hero from this era, Jephtha faces the ultimate dilemma: the choice between duty (or this case, faith) and love. In adapting this story for the stage, Handel’s librettist Thomas Morell Jephtha, HWV 70 provides an eminently palatable alternative to infanticide; Jephtha’s daughter Iphis agrees instead to dedicate her life to the Lord. Though Libretto by Thomas Morell (1703–1784) this is hardly good news for her fiancé Hamor (one of Jephtha’s Music by George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) soldiers), he graciously assents to her celibacy as the price of her survival. Rounding out this oratorio’s cast are Jephtha’s wife Storgè cast (in order of appearance): and his faithful lieutenant Zebul, both of whom likewise offer support and counsel to the troubled title character. Zebul Timothy Jones Jephtha Derek Chester Interestingly, none of these other characters are part of the Biblical Storgè Sofia Selowsky story, which mentions only Jephtha himself; even his unfortunate Hamor Jay Carter daughter remains unnamed. Nor does the author of the Book of Judges Iphis Dominique McCormick dwell on the morality of Jephtha’s bargain with God. Whether or not An Angel Cecilia Duarte such a vow ought to be fulfilled was, however, of great concern to Handel’s librettist. Taking his cue from Buchanan’s moralistic tragedy, Morell divests Jephtha’s God of any trace of vengefulness. Refusing Chorus The Moores School Concert Chorale to countenance a human sacrifice, this merciful God sends instead a last minute reprieve: an angel, who alleviates Jephtha’s agony and Choral preparation Betsy Weber proposes a humane (if soberly religious) solution. Immortality becomes Conductor Matthew Dirst the endpoint and the ultimate ideal of this story, whose Old Testament roots blossom in the fertile ground of Morell’s orthodox Christianity. © matthew dirst Artistic Director ACT ONE Ouverture—Largo/Allegro/Largo, Menuet SCENE ONE Zebul, with his brethren and Chorus. Accompagnato Zebul It must be so, or these vile Ammonites, Our lordly tyrants now these eighteen years, Will crush the race of Israel. Since Heav’n vouchsafes not, with immediate choice, To point us out a leader, as before, Ourselves must choose. And who so fit a man As Gilead’s son, our brother, valiant Jephtha? True, we have slighted, scorn’d, expell’d him hence 2 3 As of a stranger born, but well I know him: Air His gen’rous soul disdains a mean revenge Jephtha When his distressful country calls his aid. Virtue my soul shall still embrace, And perhaps Heav’n may favour our request Goodness shall make me great. If with repentant hearts we sue for mercy. Who builds upon this steady base Dreads no event of fate. Air Virtue my soul...da capo Zebul Pour forth no more unheeded pray’rs Recitative To idols deaf and vain. Storgè No more with vile unhallow’d airs ‘Twill be a painful separation, Jephtha, The sacred rites profane. To see thee harness’d for the bloody field. But ah, how trivial are a wife’s concerns Chorus of Israelites When a whole nation bleeds, and grov’ling lies, No more to Ammon’s god and king, Panting for liberty and life. Fierce Moloch, shall our cymbals ring, In dismal dance around the furnace blue. Air Chemosh no more will we adore Storgè With timbrell’d anthems to Jehovah due. In gentle murmurs will I mourn, As mourns the mate-forsaken dove, SCENE 2 And sighing wish thy dear return Enter Jephtha and Storgè . To liberty and lasting love. Recitative Exeunt. Zebul But Jephtha comes. Kind Heav’n, assist our plea. SCENE 3 O Jephtha, with an eye of pity look Enter Hamor and Iphis. On thy repentant brethren in distress. Forgetful of thy wrongs, redress thy sire Recitative Thy friends, thy country in extreme despair. Hamor Happy this embassy, my charming Iphis, Jephtha Which once more gives thee to my longing eyes, I will, so please it Heav’n, and these the terms: As Cynthia, breaking from th’involving clouds If I command in war, the like command, On the benighted traveller. The sight Should Heav’en vouchsafe us a victorious peace, Of thee, my love, drives darkness and despair. Shall still be mine. Again I live, in thy sweet smiles I live, As in thy father’s ever-watchful care Zebul Our wretched nation feels new life, new joy. Agreed. Be witness, Heaven. Oh haste, and make my happiness complete! 4 5 Air SCENE 4 Hamor Jephtha, alone. Dull delay, in piercing anguish, Bids the faithful lover languish, Recitative While he pants for bliss in vain. Jephtha Oh, with gentle smiles relieve me. What mean these doubtful fancies of the brain? Let no more false hopes deceive me, Visions of joy rise in my raptur’d soul, Nor vain fears inflict a pain. There play awhile, and set in darksome night. Strange ardour fires my breast; my arms seem strung Recitative With tenfold vigour, and my crested helm Iphis To reach the skies. Be humble still, my soul! Ill suits the voice of love when glory calls, It is the Spirit of God, in whose great name And bids thee follow Jephtha to the field. I offer up my vow. There act the hero, and let rival deeds Proclaim thee worthy to be calI’d his son, Accompagnato And Hamor shall not want his due reward. If, Lord, sustain’d by Thy almighty pow’r, Ammon I drive, and his insulting bands, Air From these our long-uncultivated lands, Iphis And safe return a glorious conqueror, Take the heart you fondly gave, What, or whoe’er shall first salute mine eyes, Lodg’d in your breast with mine. Shall be forever Thine, or fall a sacrifice. Thus with double ardour brave, Sure conquest shall be thine.