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In Handel's vast catalogue,
Susanna follows
Solomon and precedes
Theodora as one of a long sequence of oratorios, which also includes his masterpiece
Messiah. Written in just six weeks in the summer of 1748,
Susanna demonstrates the mature Handel at near to his incomparable best. The story is set in Babylon during the Jewish exile, telling a still relevant tale of frustrated desire, corruption and perjured witnesses in which the virtuous and beautiful Susanna is falsely accused of adultery. The oratorio encompasses drama, humour, nostalgia and the eventual triumph of justice, from a wealth of melody Handel reserving his finest writing for his heroine, here most ably sung by the mezzo-soprano Elisabeth von Magnus. There is strong support from the alto Syste Buwalda as Susanna's husband, Joacim, soprano Ruth Holton as the Attendant and Daniel, and from John Elwes and Tom Sol as the Elders. There are no gimmicks, just fine performances of great music recorded with a transparently natural sound. Although
Susanna could be squeezed onto two discs, MDG has sensibly given each part its own CD, presenting the whole in a full double jewel-case with an extensive booklet including photographs and the full text.
--Gary S. Dalkin