George Frideric Händel (1685 † 1759)
Oratorio The Choice of Hercules, HWV69
Libretto: Thomas Morell
Oratorio in one act and three scenes, first performance 1 March 1751, Covent Garden Theatre, London.
01. No 01: Sinfonia - The King Consert
02. No 02. Accompagnato: See Hercules! how smiles yon myrtle plain - (Pleasure) Susan Gritton (soprano)
03. No 03. Air: Come, blooming boy - (Pleasure) Susan Gritton (soprano)
04. No 04. Air: There the brisk sparkling nectar drain - (Pleasure) Susan Gritton (soprano)
05. No 05. Solo and Chorus: While for thy arms that beauty glows - (Pleasure) Susan Gritton (soprano), King's Consort Choir
06. No 06. Recitative: Away, mistaken wretch, away! - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
07. No 07. Air: This manly youth's exalted mind - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
08. No 08. Recitative: Rise, youth! exalt thyself and me! - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
09. No 09. Air: Go, assert thy heav'nly race - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
10. No 10. Recitative: In peace, in war - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
11. No 11. Solo and Chorus: So shalt thou gain immortal praise - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano), King's Consort Choir
12. No 12. Recitative: Hearst thou, what dangers then thou must engage? - (Pleasure) Susan Gritton (soprano)
13. No 13. Solo and Chorus: Turn thee, youth, to joy and love - (Pleasure) Susan Gritton (soprano), King's Consort Choir
14. No 14. Recitative: Short is my way, fair, easy, smooth and plain - (Pleasure/Hercules) Susan Gritton (soprano), Robin Blaze (countertenor)
15. No 15. Air: Yet, can I hear that dulcet lay - (Hercules) Robin Blaze (countertenor)
16. No 16. Air: Enjoy the sweet Elysian grove - (Attendant on Pleasure) Charles Daniels (tenor)
17. No 17. Recitative: Oh! whither, reason, dost thou fly? - (Hercules) Robin Blaze (countertenor)
18. No 18. Trio: Where shall I go? - (Hercules/Pleasure/Virtue) Robin Blaze (countertenor), Susan Gritton (soprano), Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
19. No 19. Recitative: Mount, mount the steep ascent - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
20. No 20. Air: Mount, mount the steep ascent - (Virtue) Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
21. No 21. Chorus: Arise! mount the steep ascent - King's Consort Choir
22. No 22. Recitative: The sounds breathe fire celestial - (Hercules) Robin Blaze (countertenor)
23. No 23. Air: Lead, goddess, lead the way! - (Hercules) Robin Blaze (countertenor)
24. No 24. Chorus: Virtue will place thee in that blest abode - King's Consort Choir
Personaggi:
Pleasure: Susan Gritton (soprano)
Virtue: Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano)
Hercules: Robin Blaze (countertenor)
Attendant on Pleasure: Charles Daniels (tenor)
The Choir of King's Consert:
Soprano: Julie Cooper, Cheryl Enever, Angharad Gruffydd Jones, Katie Peacock, Elizabeth Poole, Olive Simpson
Alto: Ian Aitkenhead, Stephen Carter, Charles Humphries, Richard Wyn Roberts
Tenor: Andrew Carwood, Nicholas Keay, Angus Smith, Paul Tindall
Bass: Charles Pott, Edward Price, Richard Savage, Giles Underwood
The King Consert:
Violin I: Simon Jones, Iona Davies, Jean Paterson, Lucy Howard, Andrea Morris, Rodolfo Richter
Violin II: William Thorp, Rebekah Durston, Rebecca Livermore, Jane Norman, Rebecca Miles
Viola: Dorothea Vogel, Trevor Jones, Lisa Cochrane
Cello: Angela East, Jennifer Janse, Abigail Wall
Bass: Timothy Amherst
Theorbo: Lynda Sayce
Flute: Rachel Brown, Katie Bircher
Oboe: Alexandra Bellamy, Zilla Gillman
Bassoon: Alastair Mitchell
Trumpet: David Blackadder, James Ghigi
Horn: Andrew Clark, Gavin Edwards
Organ: Alastair Ross
Harpsichord: Gary Cooper
Conductor: Robert King
Choir of The King's Consort
The King's Consort
