De Priest soars in Handel arias with Ars Musica
Ars Musica Chicago presented a small gem at Ravenswood’s historic All Saints’ Episcopal Church on Sunday afternoon. Amidst All Saints’ singular “stick-style” architecture, the period-performance consort presented a free 75-minute program of Baroque arias and string sonatas in an intimate and affecting performance. The local ensemble has a nearly 40-year history, and is currently led by artistic director and harpsichordist Jason Moy, who served as both assured leader and genial host.
Soprano Hannah De Priest was the afternoon’s star, and began with two arias from Handel’s Rodelinda. Her shimmering soprano is ideally suited to this repertoire, and she conveyed the pensive longing of “Ritorna, oh caro e dolce mio Tesoro” with beautifully sustained lines. She fully inhabited the spirited defiance of “Spietati, io vi giurai” singing with gleaming tone across registers and vigorously supported by the stylish sextet of strings and continuo, led with subtle conviction by Moy at the harpsichord.
De Priest was just as accomplished in two of Cleopatra’s arias from Giulio Cesare. The Egyptian queen’s anguish was palpable in “Se pietà di me non senti, giusto ciel,” with De Priest offering consolation in the contrasting middle section, and she effortlessly negotiated the high-wire acrobatics of “De tempteste il legno infranto.”
The cozy confines of All Saints’ sanctuary made for a rare opportunity to hear such stellar vocalism at close quarters, and the effect was bracing. One hopes for future opportunities to hear De Priest in one of these complete operatic roles.
The performance closed with Vivaldi’s In furore iustissimae irae, RV 626, which Moy accurately referred to as “Old Testament fire-and-brimstone.” Surging ascending scales from De Priest captured the opening aria’s rage, and she beautifully sustained the harmonic ambiguity in “Tunc neus fletus,” sounding all the more desolate for the absence of continuo. The unexpected concluding “Alleluia” was in an almost demonic vein, offering no facile high spirits after the preceding wrath.
As an encore, Moy and De Priest offered a further Handel “Alleluia” from one of the composer’s Roman Cantatas, its genially cantering triplets closing the afternoon on a sunny note to vigorous applause.
Sonatas for strings and continuo by Fasch and Telemann punctuated the vocal works. In Fasch’s Sonata in D Minor, violinists Emily Nebel and Amelia Sie and violist Edward Klorman imparted the searching expression of both Largos, alternating with incisive contrapuntal playing in two bustling Allegros.
Telemann’s Sonata in D Major showcased the composer’s plurality of styles and influences. Nebel and Sie brought poise to the gracious Spirituosa, a somber sensibility to the central Largo, and concluded with a smilingly brisk Vivace. Moy and his continuo colleagues provided solid yet supple support here as throughout the afternoon.
Ars Musica concludes its season with Bach Sonatas for Harpsichord and Violin at St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church 7:30 p.m. May 29. arsmusicachicago.org
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