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Athalia (HWV 52) is an English-language oratorio composed by George Frideric Handel to a libretto by Samuel Humphreys based on the play Athalie by Jean Racine. The work was commissioned in 1733 for the Publick Act in Oxford – a commencement ceremony of the University of Oxford, which had offered Handel an honorary doctorate (an honour he declined).^[1] The story is based on that of the Biblical queen Athaliah. Athalia, Handel's third oratorio in English, was completed on 7 June 1733,^[2] and first performed on 10 July 1733 at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford.^[3] The Bee (14 July 1733) reported that the performance was "performed with the utmost Applause, and is esteemed equal to the most celebrated of that Gentleman's Performances: there were 3700 Persons present".^[3]

Athalia was first given in London on 1 April 1735 at Covent Garden Theatre.

Dramatis personae

Roles, voice types, and premiere cast
Role	Voice	1733 Oxford cast	1735 London cast
Athalia, Baalite Queen of Judah and Daughter of Ahab and Jezebel	soprano	Mrs. Wright	Cecilia Young
Josabeth, Wife of Joad	soprano	Anna Maria Strada	Anna Maria Strada
Joas, King of Judah	boy soprano	Master Goodwill	William Savage
Joad, High Priest	alto	Walter Powell	Giovanni Carestini
Mathan, Priest of Baal, formerly a Jewish Priest	tenor	Phillip Rochetti	John Beard
Abner, Captain of the Jewish Forces	bass	Gustavus Waltz	Gustavus Waltz
Chorus of Young Virgins
Chorus of Israelites
Chorus of Priests and Levites
Chorus of Attendants
Chorus of Sidonian Priests

Synopsis

Athalia, daughter of King Ahab of Israel and Queen Jezebel, had been married to Jehoram, King of Judah. After her husband's death, Athalia was determined to stamp out the Jewish line of kings descended from David. She caused, so she believed, all the heirs to the throne to be murdered. She took the throne and ruled Judah herself, and began to devote the country to the idolatrous worship of Baal instead of the God of Israel. However, the child Joas, rightful heir to the throne, had been saved from death by Joad the High Priest and his wife Josabeth and raised as their own son under the name "Eliakim".^[4]^: 53

Act 1

In the Temple during a religious festival, the Jewish people offer their prayers to God. The High Priest Joad laments Queen Athalia's blasphemy in seeking to force the worship of Baal. All join in prayers for deliverance from her tyrannous rule. At the Palace, the Queen is disturbed by a dream she has had of a young boy dressed as a Jewish priest plunging a dagger into her heart. The high priest of Baal, Mathan, calms her by saying it was only a dream and suggests she have the Temple searched. Abner, Captain of the Guards, loyal to the God of Israel, go to the Temple to warn of the upcoming search just as Joad the High Priest and his wife Josabeth are preparing to reveal to the nation that the boy "Eliakim" whom they have raised as their own son is in fact Joas, descendant of David and rightful King. Josabeth is alarmed and despondent at the news of the search but her husband tells her to trust in God.

Act 2

The Jewish people in the Temple offer magnificent songs of praise to God. Athalia enters and is alarmed to see in "Eliakim" the very image of the child who stabbed her in her dream. She interrogates the boy and when he tells her he is an orphan she offers to adopt him, but he rejects with revulsion the idea of such close association with an idolator such as she. Athalia is enraged and departs, vowing that she will have the child regardless. Once again Josabeth, close to despair, is counseled by Joad to trust God. The chorus comment that the guilty are sure to be punished.

Act 3

Athaliah Expelled from the Temple by Antoine Coypel

Joad, inspired by God, prophesies the downfall of Athalia. He and Josabeth explain to the boy ""Eliakim" that he is really Joas, rightful King, and crown him, to the acclaim of the people. Athalia enters, demanding that the boy be given to her, and when she learns that he has been crowned, orders the treason to be punished, but her soldiers have all deserted her. Even Mathan, High Priest of Baal, declares that the God of Israel has triumphed. Athalia knows she is doomed, but goes to her death declaring that she will seek vengeance even from the grave. All praise the rightful King and the true God.^[4]^: 67^[5]

Theme of the libretto

The biblical story of Athalia, with its tale of deposing a usurping and tyrannous monarch, was used by supporters of the Jacobite cause as justification for restoring the Stuart monarchy. Oxford was then a centre of High church and Jacobite sentiment, which has caused the choice of subject for this oratorio by a supporter of the Hanoverian monarchy such as Handel to seem strange to some writers.^[4]^: 55 However the libretto by Samuel Humphreys alters Racine's original by placing great emphasis on removing "idolatry" from the land, clearly referring to removing Catholic influence, and is thus supportive of the Protestant Hanoverian monarchy.^[4]^: 72 The subject of the oratorio was most likely a conscious choice on Handel's part of a subject that would appeal to the Jacobite supporters in Oxford without being disloyal to his Hanoverian patrons.^[4]^: 73

Musical features

The work is scored for strings, 2 recorders (or flutes), 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and continuo.^[5] Athalia shows flexibility and originality in form on Handel's part, combining solos with chorus in new ways. Its vivid characterisation through music contributed to its immense success at its premiere.^[6]

Summary

Part	Scene	Type	Voice	Text (first lines)
1		Sinfonia (Allegro, Grave, Allegro)
1	1	Aria	Josabeth	Blooming virgins, spotless train, tune to transport all your lays! ...
1	1	Chorus	Young Virgins	The rising world Jehovah crown'd with bright magnificence around! ...
1	1	Chorus	Israelites	O mortals, if around us here so wond'rous all His works appear, ...
1	1	Aria	Josabeth	Tyrants would in impious throngs silence His adorers' songs: but shall Salem's lyre and lute at their proud commands be mute?
1	1	Chorus	Israelites	Tyrants! Tyrants! Ye in vain conspire! Wake the lute and strike the lyre!
1	1	Recitative	Abner	When He is in his wrath reveal'd, where will the haughty lie conceal'd?
1	1	Aria	Abner	When storms the proud to terrors doom, He forms the dark majestic scene, He rolls the thunder through the gloom, and on the whirlwind rides serene.
1	1	Chorus	Israelites	Oh Judah, boast his matchless law, pronounc'd with such tremendous awe! ...
1	2	Recitative	Joad	Your sacred songs awhile forbear, our festival demands your care; and now no longer let your stay the due solemnities delay.
1	2	Accompagnato	Joad	O Judah, Judah! Chosen seed! To what distress art thou decreed! ...
1	2	Aria	Joad	O Lord, whom we adore, shall Judah rise no more? ...
1	2	Chorus	Israelites	Hear from thy mercy seat the groans thy tribes repeat, the sighs they breathe to thee, the groans, the sighs!
1	3	Aria	Athalia	What scenes of horror round me rise! I shake, I faint with dire surprise! Is sleep, that frees the wretch from woe, to Majesty alone a foe?
1	3	Recitative	Athalia	O Mathan, aid me to control the wild confusion of my soul!
1	3	Recitative	Mathan	Why shrinks that mighty soul with fear? What cares, what danger can be near?
1	3	Recitative	Athalia	Ev'n now, as I was sunk in deep repose, my mother's awful form before me rose; ...
1	3	Aria	Athalia	O Athalia, tremble at thy fate! For Judah's God pursues thee with his hate, ...
1	3	Chorus	Attendants and Sidonian Priests	The gods, who chosen blessings shed on majesty's anointed head, ...
1	3	Recitative	Athalia	Her form at this began to fade, and seem'd dissolving into shade. ...
1	3	Chorus	Attendants and Sidonian Priests	Cheer her, O Baal, with a soft serene, and in thy votary protect the queen!
1	3	Recitative	Athalia	Amidst these horrors, that my soul dismay'd, a youth I saw in shining robes array'd, ...
1	3	Recitative	Mathan	Great queen, be calm! These fears I deem the birth of a delusive dream. ...
1	3	Aria	Mathan	Gentle airs, melodious strains! Call for raptures out of woe, lull the regal mourner's pains, sweetly soothe her as you flow.
1	3	Aria	Athalia	Softest sounds no more can ease me, heav'n a weight of woe decrees me, horrors all my hopes destroy. ...
1	3	Recitative	Mathan	Swift to the temple let us fly, to know what mansion hides this youthful foe.
1	3	Recitative	Abner	I'll haste the pontiff to prepare for this black storm of wild despair.
1	3	Chorus	Attendants	The traitor if you there descry, oh let him by the altar die.
1	4	Recitative	Joad	My Josabeth! The grateful time appears to bid dejected Judah end her fears.
1	4	Recitative	Josabeth	Oh tell the people, as I oft have crav'd, how I from death the royal infant sav'd.
1	4	Recitative	Abner	Priest of the living God! With anxious heart proud Athalia's purpose I impart: ...
1	4	Recitative	Josabeth	Oh killing shock of unexpected pain! Oh innocence, my tender care in vain! ...
1	4	Aria	Josabeth	Faithful cares in vain extended, lovely hopes for ever ended, beamy dawn of joy farewell! ...
1	4	Recitative	Abner	O cease, fair princess, to indulge your woe; no mortal to your son can prove a foe.
1	4	Recitative	Joad	This grief, oh Josabeth, degrades your soul; can God no longer Judah's foe control? ...
1	4	Aria	Joad	Gloomy tyrants, we disdain all the terror you intend, all your fury will be vain, and in low confusion end!
1	4	Chorus	Israelites	Alleluja!
2	1	Chorus	Priests, Levites, Israelites and Joad	The mighty pow'r in whom we trust, is ever to His promise just; He makes this sacred day appear, the pledge of a propitious year.
2	1	Aria	Joad	He bids the circling season shine, recalls the olive and the wine, with blooming plenty loads the plain, and crowns the fields with golden grain.
2	1	chorus	Priests, Levites, and Israelites	Give glory to His awful name, let ev'ry voice His praise proclaim!
2	1	Aria	Josabeth	Through the land so lovely blooming, nature all her charms assuming, wakes the soul to cheerful praise. ...
2	1	Recitative	Abner	Ah! Were this land from proud oppression freed, Judea would be bless'd indeed!
2	1	Recitative	Joad	Oh Abner, wer't thou certain that the sword had not destroy'd the race by thee deplor'd, ...
2	1	Aria	Abner	Ah, canst thou but prove me! To vengeance I spring. ...
2	1	Recitative	Joad	Thou dost the ardour that I wish display; revisit me before the close of day. ...
2	2	Recitative	Athalia	Confusion to my thoughts! My eyes have view'd my dreadful vision in the place renew'd! Through all my veins the chilling horrors run. Say, Josabeth, is this fair youth thy son?
2	2		Josabeth	Though much he merits my fond love, yet he is not indebted for his birth to me.
2	2	Recitative	Athalia	Who is thy father? Let his name be known!
2	2	Recitative	Josabeth	He has no father but kind heav'n alone.
2	2	Recitative	Athalia	Why so officious does thy zeal appear? I mean the answer from his lips to hear. How art thou call'd?
2	2	Recitative	Joas	Eliakim
2	2	Recitative	Athalia	Unfold thy father's name!
2	2	Recitative	Joas	In me, alas, behold an orphan, cast by providence, and ne'er as yet acquainted who his parents were.
2	2	Recitative	Athalia	Give me to understand whose tender cares sustain'd and rear'd thee in thy infant years?
2	2	Aria	Joas	Will God, whose mercies ever flow, expose his children's youth to woe? ...
2	2	Recitative	Athalia	'Tis my intention, lovely youth, that you a scene more suited to your worth shall view: ...
2	2	Recitative	Joas	Shall I behold the God by whom I'm bless'd profan'd by you with rites that I detest?
2	2	Recitative	Athalia	Princess, in discipline you much excel; whate'er you dictate he remembers well. ...
2	2	Aria	Athalia	My vengeance awakes me, compassion forsakes me, all softness and mercy away! My foes with confusion shall find their illusion and tremble before me today!
2	2	Duet	Josabeth	My spirits fail, I faint, I die!
2	2	Duet (continued)	Joas	Ah, why?
2	2	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	The grave shall hide my head!
2	2	Duet (continued)	Joas	Is hope for ever fled?
2	2	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	My grief's too great to bear, I faint, I die -
2	2	Duet (continued)	Joas	Ah, why?
2	2	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	I faint, I die!
2	2	Duet (continued)	Joas	Is hope for ever fled?
2	2	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	The grave shall hide my head!
2	2	Duet (continued)	Joas	Kind heav'n will defend me -
2	2	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	Thy ardours affect me -
2	2	Duet (continued)	Joas	He sure will protect me: Is hope for ever fled? For ever fled?
		Andante
2	2	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	Whate'er this tyrant may decree, oh God, I place my trust in thee!
2	2	Aria	Joas	In Jehovah's awful sight, haughty tyrants are but dust. Those, who glory in their might, place in vanity their trust.
2	3	Recitative	Joad	Dear Josabeth, I trembled whilst thy woe did in its first emotions wildly flow; ...
2	3	Duet	Joad	Cease thy anguish, smile once more, let thy tears no longer flow! ...
2	3	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	All his mercies I review, gladly, with a grateful heart, and I trust He will renew blessings he did once impart.
2	3	Duet (continued)	Joad and Josabeth	Whate'er this tyrant may decree, returning joys we soon shall see.
2	3	Recitative	Abner	Joad, ere day has ended half his race, again expect me in this sacred place.
2	3	Chorus	Young Virgins	The clouded scene begins to clear, and joys in gentle trains appear.
2	3	Chorus	Priests and Levites	When crimes aloud for vengeance call, the guilty will be doomed to fall.
2	3	Chorus	Israelites	Rejoice, oh Judah, in thy God! The proud alone shall feel His rod, whilst blessings with a mild decree, His mercy now prepares for thee.
3	1	Aria	Joad	What sacred horrors shake my breast! Ah! 'Tis the pow'r divine confess'd! ...
3	1	Chorus	Virgins, Priests and Levites	Unfold, great seer, what heav'n imparts, and speak glad tidings to our hearts!
3	1	Accompagnato	Joad	Let harmony breathe soft around, and aid my raptures with the sound!
3	1	Aria	Joad	Jerusalem, thou shalt no more a tyrant's guilty reign deplore; ...
3	1	Chorus	Virgins, Priests and Levites	Oh shining mercy!
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Joad	Heav'n itself will now relieve me!
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Virgins, Priests and Levites	Oh shining mercy!
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Joad	See, she falls..
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Virgins, Priests and Levites	Gracious pow'r..
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Joad	..she bleeds..
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Virgins, Priests and Levites	..gracious pow'r..
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Joad	..she dies!
3	1	Chorus (continued)	Virgins, Priests and Levites	..oh shining mercy, gracious pow'r, that aids us in the needful hour!
3	1	Recitative	Joad	Eliakim!
3	1	Recitative	Joas	My father!
3	1	Recitative	Joad	Let me know: Should heav'n on thee a diadem bestow, what reign of Judah's kings wouldst thou that day choose for the model of thy future sway?
3	1	Recitative	Joas	Should God such glory for my lot ordain, like righteous David I would wish to reign.
3	1	Recitative	Joad	Oh, Joas! Oh, my king! Thus low to thee I pay the homage of my bended knee!
3	1	Recitative	Joas	Is this reality or kind deceit? Ah, can I see my father at my feet?
3	1	Recitative	Josabeth	Ye sacred bands, who serve the God of truth, Revere your sov'reign in that royal youth!
3	1	Chorus	Virgins, Priests and Levites	With firm united hearts, we all will conquer in his cause, or fall.
3	2	Recitative	Mathan	Oh princess, I approach thee to declare how much thy welfare is my care.
3	2	Recitative	Josabeth	What means, proud Mathan, thy intrusion here? Has heav'n no vengeance for thy crimes to fear?
3	2	Recitative	Mathan	Fair Josabeth, though you insult me so, trust me, in Mathan you behold no foe!
3	2	Aria	Josabeth	Soothing tyrant, falsely smiling! Virtue's foes I ne'er shall fear; ...
3	3	Recitative	Joad	Apostate priest! How canst thou dare to violate this house of pray'r?
3	3	Recitative	Mathan	Joad, I scorn thy proud insulting mien; prepare to answer thy offended queen!
3	4	Recitative	Athalia	Oh bold seduce, art thou there? Where is the youth, inform me, where?
3	4	Recitative	Joad	Ye priests, the youth before her bring! Proud woman, there, behold our king!
3	4	Chorus	Young Virgins, Priests and Levites	Around let acclamations ring: Hail, royal youth! Long live the king!
3	4	Aria	Joad	Reviving Judah shall no more detested images adore; ...
3	4	Chorus	Young Virgins, Priests and Levites	Bless the true church, and save the king!
3	4	Recitative	Athalia	Oh, treason, treason! Impious scene! Abner, avenge thy injur'd queen!
3	4	Recitative	Joad	Great chief, behold thy royal Joas there, preserv'd by Josabeth's successful care! Thy dauntless loyalty of soul I know; thou canst not be to David's race a foe.
3	4	Recitative	Abner	Does heav'n this blessing then at last accord? Oh royal Joas, oh my honour'd Lord!
3	4	Aria	Abner	Oppression, no longer I dread thee, thy terrors, proud queen, I despise! They crimes to confusion have led thee, and Judah triumphant shall rise!
3	4	Recitative	Athalia	Where am I? Furies, wild despair! Where are my guards, my vassals, where? Mathan, invoke thy God to shed his vengeance on each rebel's head!
3	4	Recitative	Mathan	He hears no more! Our hopes are past! The Hebrew's God prevails at last! Alas, alas! My broken vow! His dreadful hand is on me now!
3	4	Aria	Mathan	Hark! Hark! Hark! His thunders round me roll, His angry awful frowns I see, ...
3	4	Recitative	Joad	Yes, proud apostate, thou shalt fall, they crimes aloud for vengeance call!
3	4	Recitative	Athalia	I see all hopes, all succours fail, and Judah's God will now prevail; ...
3	4	Aria	Athalia	To darkness eternal and horrors infernal undaunted I'll hasten away. Oh tyrants, your treason shall in the due season weep blood for this barbarous day!
3	5	Recitative	Joad	Now, Josabeth, thy fears are o'er!
3	5	Recitative	Josabeth	Bless'd be His name whom we adore!
3	5	Duet	Joad	Joys, in gentle trains appearing, Heav'n does to my fair impart; and, to make them more endearing, I shall share them with thy heart!
3	5	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	Softest joys would be deceive me, hadst thou they happy part; oh my dearest Lord, believe me, thou shalt share them with my heart.
3	5	Duet (continued)	Joad	I shall share them with thy heart!
3	5	Duet (continued)	Josabeth	Thou shalt share them with my heart!
3	5	Duet (continued)	Joad and Josabeth	And to make them more endearing I shall/thou shalt share them with thy/my heart!
3	5	Recitative	Abner	Rejoice, oh Judah, this triumphant day! Let all the goodness of our God display; whose mercies to the wond'ring world declare; His chosen people are His chosen care!
3	5	Chorus	Young Virgins, Priests, Levites and Israelites	Give the glory to His awful name, let ev'ry voice His praise proclaim!

Recordings

*Athalia* discography
Year	Cast:Athalia, Josabeth, Joad, Joas, Mathan, Abner	Conductor, orchestra and chorus	Label
1986	Joan Sutherland, Emma Kirkby, James Bowman, Aled Jones, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, David Thomas	Christopher Hogwood Academy of Ancient Music and Choir of New College, Oxford	CD:Decca Cat:475 6731 dc8
1998	Elisabeth Scholl, Barbara Schlick, Annette Reinhold, Friederike Holzhausen, Markus Brutscher, Stephan McLeod	Joachim Carlos Martini Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra and Junge Kantorei	CD:Naxos Cat:8.554364-65
2005	Simone Kermes, Olga Pasichnyk, Martin Oro, Trine Wilsberg Lund, Thomas Cooley, Wolf Matthias Friedrich	Peter Neumann Collegium Cartusianum and Kölner Kammerchor	CD:MDG Cat:332 1276-2
2010	Geraldine McGreevy, Nuria Rial, Lawrence Zazzo, Aaron Mächler, Charles Daniels, David Wilson-Johnson	Paul Goodwin Kammerorchester Basel and Vocalconsort Berlin	CD:Deutsche HM Cat:88697723172

References

Citations

^ Smither 1977, pp. 204–205.
^ Smither 1977, p. 204.
^ ^a ^b Smither 1977, p. 205.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Rooke, Deborah W. (2012). Handel's Israelite Oratorio Libretti: Sacred Drama and Biblical Exegesis. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0199279289.
^ ^a ^b Gerbrandt, Carl (2006). Sacred Music Drama: The Producer's Guide Second Edition. AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1425968472.
^ Lee, Jonathan Rhodes= (14 April 2009). "Handel's Little-Known Third Oratorio: The Juicy, Murderous Athalia". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved 13 September 2013.