For those of you new to the singing world, an oratorio is a large musical composition uniting instrumentalists, soloists and choirs, sung in concert framework. Many oratorios are religious, like the ãMessiahä or ãElijahä; others, like this one, are not. A concert setting means no beautiful period costumes, no flashy scenery, no choreography; basically, there are chairs and a stand for the singers to put their music on. They are drier in the visual department than the average opera but no less musically breathtaking.

Semele began as a traditional oratorio. A lone organist walks on a sparsely furnished stage, sits at the organ in the center, and opens the gorgeous overture. Soon he is followed onto the stage by a coed group of choristers dressed in black and carrying red books. Three soloists follow: the mezzo, the countertenor (A side note! A countertenor is a male who sings in his falsetto range making him sound like a girl·so donât be freaked out when you hear it!), and the baritone. But thereâs a fourth chair. We are missing someone. The performers begin anxiously peering into the wings. Suddenly the baritone slams his book onto his music stand, flashes a·smile·at the audience and leaves to drag the reluctant fourth soloist on stage. Oh surprise, surprise, itâs the soprano, clad in pink, a tiara, and furs. Methinks this is not going to be a traditional oratorio! After a beautiful introduction where the singers showed off their talent, the stage shook and the backdrop cracked open! Madness ensued from there. In one scene change the soprano went from brown hair neatly piled in a bun to blonde curls. And out ran·reporters with·cameras?? ·I am not the greatest historian but I know that there were no cameras in Handelâs time! Strange but interesting!

Handel took one mythological story of Jupiter, his wife Juno and his penchant for beautiful mortals and turned it into a story about human weaknesses. In this production, the creative director Stephen Lawless, dresses the myth of Semele in the clothing of the Kennedy presidency. Those of you who, like me, find history one of their least favorite classes, may be unclear about the rumors that circulated about John F Kennedy having an affair with Marilyn Monroe during his presidency. How this relates to Semele? Well Semele, the beautiful mortal, is depicted as Marilyn Monroe, Jupiter (Zeus/ Jove), and Juno (Hera) are outfitted in costumes recognizable as popular Kennedy attire. While I have issues with this set up, I shall not vent them now. In the vocal department my favorite singer would have to be the extremely gifted soprano who played Semele, Elizabeth Futral. Elizabeth had it all. She looked gorgeous running around in a small white slip for most of the oratorio. She acted brilliantly and her voice was beyond amazing - her pianissimo was so delicate and even and her trills were to die for. One of her last arias consisted entirely of coloratura runs (notes in a sequence sung at an alarmingly fast pace)! It was absolutely insane! She nailed each and every run perfectly, all while jumping around the room and rolling on her bed amid silk sheets. The mezzo-soprano who played both Ino, Semeleâs sister, and Juno, was Vivica Genaux. Cool in name and voice, she cut a very striking figure as Jackie Kennedy and made a believable change from one character to another. Another singer who pleased the audience was the soprano, Constance Hauman (Iris). She had tremendous energy and a very beautiful dark timbre to her voice. Robert Breault, as Zeus, totally stole the scene with ãWhere you walk.ä It is such a lovely song to begin with, but coupled with his warm voice and rose petals falling from the ceiling, it was captivating. I also have to give props to the wonderful chorus who did an amazing job of being on stage yet never taking away the focus from the four leads.

Well, I suppose I shall have to explain my critique of the production. I did not enjoy the parallel between Juno/ Jackie Kennedy. I, being both a very fond lover of Greek mythology and Jackie Kennedy, found it insulting to her memory. I have grown up in a family who adored Jackie Kennedy - her poise, elegance and courage. As Juno, she was shown to be jealous, conniving and cruel - every quality that the real Jackie was not. I would have been really pleased to just see the gods and goddesses themselves rather than these ãalter-egos.ä However, I must admit, the secret service men, the reporters, the red carpet, all made for quite a lively spectacle. My favorite scene was Junoâs manipulation of Semele (whose desperate desire to be a goddess caused her to fall like Paris Hiltonâs hit single) in a room filled with huge magazine cover portraits of Semele/ Marilyn Monroe in various seductive poses. If you have never attended an oratorio before, this is a great place to start! Handelâs music is breathtaking and the voices certainly honor his genius, however you react to the production.