G. F. Handel, The Choice of Hercules, HWV 69
J. S. Bach, Hercules at the Crossroads, BWV 213
Ars Lyrica returns to the Hobby Center with a morality tale set to music by both Bach and Handel. The iconic strongman Hercules earned his place in the pantheon not through conquests but rather for his wisdom and honor. A pillar of mythology since Antiquity, Hercules faces a familiar dilemma, one that found significant resonance in the Baroque era, when ancient stories were a principal source of moral instruction. Both composers treat Hercules’ temptation and ultimate embrace of virtue with ravishing arias and grand ensembles.
Nola Richardson, soprano˚
Leia Lensing, mezzo-soprano
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, countertenor
Steven Brennfleck, tenor
Jason Zacher, bass-baritone
˚Ars Lyrica debut