Belshazzar : Christie / Les Arts Florissants, Clayton, R.Joshua, etc (3CD)

Les Arts Florissants Editions
Handel: Belshazzar

Allan Clayton (Belshazzar, King of Babylon)
Rosemary Joshua (Nitocris), Iestyn Davies (Daniel, Hebrew Prophet)
Caitlin Hulcup (Cyrus: Persian Prince), Jonathan Lemalu (Gobrias, Assyrian Nobleman)
Jean-Yves Ravoux (Arioch, Babylonian Lord)
Geoffroy Buffiere, Thibaut Lenaerts, Michael-Loughlin Smith, Damian Witheley
Les Arts Florissants
William Christie, musical direction

This CD box-set is the first publication of the new discography label created by Les Arts Florissants. Les Editions Arts Florissants is a 100% in-house label which associates recordings with new works by different artists. Thus, Belshazzar is accompanied with A Babylone, a new literary work by the French writer Jean Echenoz; written especially for the occasion.

Belshazzar was first performed in 1745, under difficult conditions. Ever the pragmatist, Handel did not hesitate to revise his work to adapt to the various constraints of the premiere and its subsequent revivals. Surprisingly unscrupulous, he frequently accepted the most dreadful compromises involving mutilating cuts, transpositions, sacrificing his inspiration in order to facilitate a performance. For this recording we have chosen what we consider to be the most successful of the various versions of Belshazzar given in his lifetime, resulting in the restoration of the piece in all its splendour, with the best of the music and a coherent libretto. I am particularly pleased that the first production for our new label does justice to a libretto whose subject is so relevant today: the decline of a once glorious society and the ephemeral nature of Empire. In Belshazzar everything hits the spot: the emotional power, the vivid imagery, the contemporary resonance. How could one not be struck by the majestic architecture of the choruses; by the characterisation of Belshazzar himself, irascible, alcoholic, affronting the divine word? Andwho could not be deeply moved by Nicrotis’grief at witnessing the downfall of her son, or by the extraordinary complicity that develops between herself and Cyrus, the conquering King of the persians? From beginning to end the piece is carried along by Jennen’s humanity and the universality of Handel’s music. I have opted for a very fine and entirely Anglophone cast. All of us had our hearts set on restoring the dramatic force and emotional power to this magnificent music. Other considerations influenced our choice - the very scale of Belshazzar made it possible to draw on a large number of musicians and singers who have been part of Les Arts Florissants for many ears, ensuring the recording bears the unmistakeable stamp of the company - William Christie