The Resurrection Handel
Opera Atelier

Opera Atelier’s lavish production celebrates the hero’s triumph over death in a
story that provides inspiration for all of us to live lives full of intention and purpose.

Written for Easter of 1708, Handel’s The Resurrection details the events between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and the tension leading up to Christ’s resurrection following his crucifixion and burial. The narrative plays out simultaneously across two spheres. In the celestial realm, a militant Archangel demands entrance to Hades and disputes the claims of a boastful Lucifer, insisting Christ’s death was an act of sacrificial love.

Always the consummate showman, Handel ensured the opera is not without its moments of humour, as the Archangel and Lucifer spar for the upperhand. Meanwhile on Earth, Mary Magdalene, Cleophas and St. John the Evangelist struggle to make sense of Christ’s brutal death. Handel’s astonishingly sensual score and vivid word painting act as a catalyst for an exceptional play of emotions for all of the protagonists.

In a significant departure from Handel’s original composition, the role of the Archangel — written for a castrato — will be performed by Huhtanen. Last seen in Opera Atelier’s Magic Flute, Huhtanen’s renowned vocal range and razor-sharp coloratura makes her a natural for the role of the Archangel. Distinctly costumed as a female Angel, Huhtanen interacts with the Artists of Atelier Ballet as a corps of male and female angelic beings.

David Witczak will play the role of Lucifer — a superb linguist, Witczak is renowned for his impassioned delivery of Italian repertoire. Rondepierre is ideally suited for the role of St. John the Evangelist. Lindsay, as Mary Magdalene, and Lebel, as Mary Cleophas, round out the cast, promising deeply sensitive and nuanced performances.

The production’s choreography by Lajeunesse Zingg celebrates the original splendour of Handel’s opera, and takes great advantage of Koerner Hall’s expansive stage — making use of the full corps of the Artists of Atelier Ballet. As the opera progresses, the presence of the divine becomes more palpable, and the dancers, as angelic beings consequently become more integrated into the action — interacting with the physical worlds of Mary Magdalene, Cleophas and St. John, and the supernatural realm of the Archangel and Lucifer.