Ottery St Mary Choral Society to sing Handel’s Israel Egypt oratorio

On Saturday, March 23, Ottery St Mary Choral Society, which draws its members from across the area, will perform its spring concert in Ottery St Mary Parish Church.

This will provide the perfect setting for the soaring choruses of Handel’s oratorio Israel Egypt.

Most of you will know Messiah, but perhaps are less familiar with the magnificent Israel in Egypt, which Handel composed three years earlier.

It is scored for double chorus and orchestra, containing relatively little solo material.

The work is dominated by large-scale virtuoso choruses which tell the story of the flight of the Israelites out of Egypt after suffering from plagues of frogs, lice and locusts, not to mention hail, thunder and days of darkness.

The choir will be joined by well-known local soloists Rebecca Smith and Leslie Baker.

Mezzo-soprano Rebecca Smith was a member of Glyndebourne Festival Chorus and Touring Opera for several seasons and makes regular appearances on the concert platform in venues such as the Festival Hall and in the Promenade Concerts at the Albert Hall.

Tenor Leslie Baker trained as a Choral Scholar at Cambridge. He has an extensive oratorio repertoire and has performed with many choirs and choral societies in the South West.

The orchestra, led by Sarah Greinig, will also be performing Haydn’s Symphony No 82 in C, sometimes known as The Bear.

Tickets are available from Stagestruck in Ottery St. Mary (01404 811311) or from society members.