Dudamel Conducts Haydn's Creation • FRI / DEC 9, 2016/17
About this Performance: With texts drawn from the Bible and John Milton’s poetry, Haydn’s timeless masterpiece is a monumental yet delightful vision of God creating the world, bursting with imagination, wit and beauty. Leading Venezuelan filmmaker Alberto Arvelo collaborates in this joyous production. After being set free from his duties in the court of Esterházy, Haydn traveled and became more famous internationally. During his visits to London, he heard oratorios by Handel performed by large forces, which inspired him to write an equally substantial work. The result was The Creation, for which Haydn used a German translation of an English libretto first offered to Handel. In 1800, his masterpiece was published in both English and German, and is still performed in both languages. This weekend’s concerts will be sung in English. The first of three main sections celebrates the creation of primal light, the Earth, the heavenly bodies, bodies of water, weather, and plant life. The second part deals with sea creatures, birds, animals, and finally, man. The final section depicts Adam and Eve’s first happy hours in the Garden of Eden. Program: HAYDN: The Creation (c. 105 minutes) Artists: Los Angeles Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel, conductorAlberto Arvelo, video artist/directorJames F. Ingalls, lighting designerRachele Gilmore, sopranoJoshua Guerrero, tenorJohannes Kammler, baritoneLos Angeles Master Chorale Grant Gershon, artistic director Upcoming concerts: www.laphil.com/calendar Inside the Music schedule, details, and videos: www.laphil.com/insidethemusic