Clarecastle tenor Dean
Power Congratulations to our period instrument Irish Baroque Orchestra (IBO), currently celebrating its silver jubilee. As part of its anniversary programmes the ensemble presents a short Dublin HandelFest online over the coming weekend – August 20 to 22 – centred in and around Dublin Castle.
Beginning with the pastoral Acis and Galatea in St Patrick’s Hall tomorrow (Friday) evening, the HandelFest moves out into the open on Saturday afternoon when IBO’s musical director, Peter Whelan, leads a digital tour of significant buildings and locations familiar to Handel when in Dublin between November 1741 and August 1742.
En route from Christ Church Cathedral to Dublin Castle, there will be stops at Smock Alley and other places including some ‘less salubrious back lanes of the inner city’. I understand Maestro Whelan will reveal fascinating anecdotes and stories of Handel’s Dublin sojourn.
Climax
While the composer’s reputation in the capital climaxed with performances of Messiah at the Fishamble Street Musick Hall, when some of the proceeds from its charity première released 142 persons from prison on their debts being settled to the satisfaction of their creditors, several other Handel works, not least the already popular Acis and Galatea, were heard during his visit.
The pastoral, which the composer described as “a little opera”, underwent a number of revisions following its first performance in the summer of 1718 at Cannons, the magnificent country house in Middlesex of the Duke of Chandos.
Based on a tale from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the plot is relatively uncomplicated. The mortal Acis and semi-divine Galatea are in love. However, their hopes of tranquil bliss are dashed by the arrival of giant Polyphemus. Desiring Galatea for himself, he dispatches his unfortunate rival but, using her magical powers, Galatea ensures Acis’ immortality by turning him into a fountain! Really? Well, it is opera after all and the music is marvellous.
Conducted by Peter Whelan, tomorrow’s IBO concert performance has Clarecastle tenor Dean Power, currently a member of the Bavarian State Opera, with Lancastrian soprano and baroque opera specialist Julia Doyle in the title roles. Polyphemus will be sung by UK bass-baritone Edward Grint, who has undertaken the part in a number of European locations.
Conclusion
HandelFest concludes in the Chapel Royal on Sunday evening when Kilkenny’s master of music Malcolm Proud plays three of Handel’s harpsichord Suites, including the E major that ends with the famous Harmonious Blacksmith variations. Malcolm Proud also delves into the keyboard repositories of Handel contemporaries – JS Bach and Jean-Philippe Rameau, whom Handel held in great respect.
Like the best mustard, Rameau (1683-1764) came from Dijon where his father, Jean, was organist in a number of churches. Initially his son’s music teacher, Jean hoped the lad would pursue a career in law. However, intent on a musical path, Rameau junior studied for a short while in Milan. Returning to France he held various organist posts in Avignon, Clermont, Dijon and Paris.
Malcolm Proud’s homage to Rameau is devoted to his ten-movement Suite in E minor, which comes from his Pièces de Clavecin of 1724. Further information/booking can be found on www.dublinhandelfest.com