Händel - Solomon
Auditorio Nacional, Madrid, Sunday February 26 2023 Conductor: Harry Bicket. Solomon: Ann Hallenberg. Solomon's Queen and First Harlot: Miah Persson. Queen of Sheba: Elena Villalón. Zadok: James Way. A Levite: Brandon Cedel. Second Harlot: Niamh O'Sullivan. The English Concert. The Clarion Choir. Ann Hallenberg has no engagements in France this year, so although recently back from an expensive trip to Los Angeles, I decided to bite the bullet and go to Madrid for the weekend to hear this Solomon . 'It's only money,' as a late friend used to trill: plaie d'argent n'est pas mortelle , as the French say, though sometimes it can be painful for a while. Living in France, I'm used to Händel by the likes of Christie, Minkowski, Rousset or Haïm. This was my first live encounter with Harry Bicket's English approach. I suspect he isn't everybody's cup of tea, as by 'HIP' standards, he goes - or at any rate went on Sunday evening - for a big, or...