At the end of November this year, twelve singers and eighteen instrumentalists recruited by Cape Town Baroque Orchestra will combine forces in delivering that perennial pre-Christmas favourite, Handel’s Messiah … with a difference. BEVERLEY BROMMERT speaks to one of the performers, Lente Louw (pictured left) about the production:
The upcoming performance of Handel’s Messiah will be rather less predictable than usual, featuring some innovative departures from the familiar version of the great oratorio, a more or less standardized treatment of which only emerged in the 19th century.
In Handel’s day, multiple versions were performed depending on availability of suitable executants, so changes here and there were not untoward. In accordance with this early practice, Cape Town Baroque Orchestra’s 2024 rendering will be likewise Influenced by which artists are able to participate in the event, and while it will be similar to that of 2023, some surprises will be on the cards.
Alto vocalist Lente Louw, who is among the dozen singers currently rehearsing this Messiah, comments, “There are no radical changes, but certain choices have been made that will sustain audience attention on the journey through this work; for instance, within the dramatic arch of the Messiah, three sopranos sharing the arias take on a stronger narrative function.”
She declines to give more details, so as not to diminish the impact and freshness of the approach taken for this staging, but is enthusiastic about the inclusion of newcomers to the cast, such as Cape Town Opera’s celebrated baritone Conroy Scott. Apart from his enviable proficiency, she finds him generous and supportive, sensitive to the insecurities of his fellow singers in the technically demanding ensembles of the work. She sums it up as “contributing, not dominating”.
Use of period instruments
A major strength of this baroque interpretation is the use of period instruments: the baroque oboe (not heard in last year’s performance) together with the natural trumpet, calfskin timpani, chamber organ, baroque trumpet, viola da gamba and theorbo, the last-named played by Louw’s husband Uwe Grosser.
“I much prefer period instruments to modern ones for accompaniment,” she affirms, finding that the former have resonance as opposed to raw power, their mellow overtones becoming part of the ensemble rather than drowning it, “especially as there is no conductor, as in chamber music. Erik (Dippennaar) directs from the harpsichord, keeping everything intimate, fresh and reactive.
It’s really exhilarating, and relationships inevitably form between artists who have worked together for more than a decade.”
Dippennaar might not stand on a podium, baton in hand, but his direction is clear to those performing under him; body language sends them the requisite cues, and Louw says one soon develops an awareness essential to good ensemble, resulting in unforced, elegant execution.
Bringing Handel’s Messiah to life
This is a far cry from the ponderous, top-heavy approach to the oratorio which at one point, as a major inclusion in the canon, had as many as 800 singers and musicians thundering on the stage. She subscribes firmly to the view that larger and louder does not necessarily conduce to superior rendition. As founder of the prestigious Lutesong Consort in 2017 and a seasoned performer of baroque music, she is more than qualified to judge the optimum interpretation of early compositions.
For her, the ultimate goal is to bring a monumental work such as the Messiah to life, inspired by the sheer love of performing it, which is what audiences can anticipate in a couple of weeks’ time.
What: Handel’s Messiah 2024
Where and when: Thursday, 28 November at 7pm in Cape Town (St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, De Waterkant) | Saturday, 30 November at 3.30pm in Hermanus (Dutch Reformed Church)
Tickets: Quicket
WS
