After two-and-a-half centuries, Handel's mighty oratorio Messiah remains a perennial favorite for listeners and performers both professional and amateur the world over. Originally intended for the Easter season, the joyous message of hope and seemingly endless stream of memorable tunes gets most appreciation and countless performances at Yuletide. As with most inspired sacred music, you don't have to be religious or even a believer to appreciate the transcendent beauty of the writing. For many, an annual hearing of Messiah has simply become an inevitable pleasurable holiday tradition.
The San Francisco Symphony has been warming a garlanded and festively decorated Davies Symphony Hall with varying performance editions of Handel's masterwork every December for as long as anyone can remember. And this year, perhaps more than ever, as Jerry Herman said in Mame , "We need a little Christmas now."
Patrick Dupre Quigley, making an exciting SFS appearance as conductor in recent performances, stressed the qualities that caused Messiah to create such a stir in the first place. Exuding youthful poise and clear control, he mastered the dramatic arc of the narrative strikingly and blew the dust off pages that often sound overfamiliar. Precise but flexible and intensely alert, Quigley was exceptionally well-served by a fine quartet of vocal soloists, all making their SFS debuts.
Quigley's stated intention was to mix performance traditions, allowing personal interpretation and ornamentation for singers and lively manipulation of rhythms and notes for instrumentalists. The results gave a real jolt to the story and made one of the most successful blends of "authentic" and modern interpretations I can recall. We should have parked our expectations at the door. This was a welcome and wonderfully fresh enactment that satisfied both purists and first-timers. Even the many kids in the audience, all dressed up for the occasion and dutifully heeding their parents' admonitions to silence, remained visibly engaged throughout.
Director Ragnar Bohlin's SFS Chorus was, of course, a prime source of energy, and the ensemble responded to the conductor's impetus with rich depth and crisp articulation. Just because the eclectic text is sung in English doesn't mean it will be easily understandable. No worries here �" listeners had little need to refer to the libretto printed in the program as every word was enunciated perfectly.
The same gratifying distinctness with the words was shared by the vocal soloists. Soprano Lauren Snouffer instantly secured a place in memory with a purity of tone that imbued emotion in even the most radiant of moments. Her hint of liquid vibrato added a lovely personality.
Tenor Zachary Wilder easily captured attention with his mixture of dramatic intensity and clarion sound. His judicious ornamentation added attractive and appropriate novelty.
Christian Van Horn looks and sounds every inch the impressive operatic bass. He successfully managed to stay within the bounds of concert-singing without losing any theatrical impact. His range allows for the occasional dramatic shout without sounding harsh.
For his really rather spectacular SFS debut, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo immediately riveted the capacity crowd with the surprising force of his unique voice. We raved about his endearing and highly athletic performance in the acclaimed San Francisco Opera production of Handel's Partenope in 2015, and he reminded us of our initial awe and praise with singing of exceptional beauty and strength.
Up in the maestro's box, composer Jake Heggie looked on with equal admiration. Costanzo has already appeared in one Heggie opera to a libretto by Terrence McNally, Great Scott. Could he be in line for the SFO's West Coast premiere of Heggie's adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life in 2018? If there isn't a part for countertenor, maybe the other soloists are under rightful consideration.
The orchestra also responded to Quigley's lead with a delicious blend of sprightliness and weight. Bowing lightly, the full string section added that crisp edge we have come to know from authentic instruments without sacrificing any of the luxurious tone allowed by modern violins.
Harpsichord contributions played by Robin Sutherland were subtly audible and nimbly executed. It was harder to discern Jonathan Dimmock's contributions from the organ, but he still added to the overriding sense of fresh involvement.
Needless to say, star player Mark Inouye nailed his solo during the glorious bass air, "The trumpet shall sound."