Ensemble Salomone Rossi
Ester, story of a Queen

Music by Georg Friedrich Haendel and Giuseppe Cristiano Lidarti

The original drama of J. Racine at its arrival to England was translated in a form to be used for musical purposes; G.F. Haendel puts it on music in two successive productions in 1720 and 1732.

Rabbi Rafael Saraval (circa 1707-1782) translates Esther’s text into Hebrew, inspired by the version used by Haendel in 1732.

In Mantua in 1757 the drama is represented in theatrical form. Subsequently, the text is put on music by G.C. Lidarti, a composer born in Vienna and afterwards in Pisa; his music was much utilized at the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam.

There is no evidence of the performance of the music by Lidarti, but it is most likely that this happened in Amsterdam.

At the Library of the University of Cambridge there is the only existing score, a manuscript of 1774.

This program was performed in Bergamo for Effettobibbia in 2016, in Vercelli, in Milan and at the Montichiari Festival.

The first modern execution in Italy of the complete Oratorium of “Ester” in two acts, on a libreto by Rafael Saraval, music by G.C. Lidarti composed in 1774, took place in 2006, November 12th, at the Teatro Bibiena di Mantova, for the XII edition of the Festival Lodoviciano.

For this performance are required: soloists, orchestra, choir and director.

Discography Ensemble Salomone Rossi

G.F. Haendel, dall’oratorio “Ester”, Shall we of servitude complain?