Afternoon on 3
Summer Festivals 2009, Episode 2
John Shea features music from the Stockholm Early Music Festival and Handel recorded at Austria's prestigious Salzburg Festival. Purcell: The Fairy Queen (excerpts) Maria Christina Kiehr (soprano) Helsinki Baroque Orchestra Aapo Hakkinen (conductor) 1.25pm Johan Joachim Agrell: Violin Concerto in D Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch (violin) Helsinki Baroque Orchestra Aapo Hakkinen (conductor) Joseph Martin Kraus: Symphony in E flat, VB144 Helsinki Baroque Orchestra Aapo Hakkinen (conductor) Handel: Theodora Set in the fourth century AD, Handel's late great dramatic oratorio tells the story of Christian oppression and triumph of the spirit. It features that favourite character type of Handel's in the title role, a strong female lead and a powerful use of the chorus which takes the roles both of persecuted Christians and their Roman persecutors. Christine Schafer (soprano) Bejun Mehta (countertenor) Johannes Martin Kranzle (bass) Joseph Kaiser (tenor) Bernarda Fink (mezzo-soprano) Ryland Davies (tenor) James McVinnie (organ) Salzburg Bach Chorus Freiburg Baroque Orchestra Ivor Bolton (conductor).