Saturday, 7th June 2008, “Handel’s Samson”
8pm at Shrewsbury International School's Khunying Sumanee Memorial Hall
Near the Saphan Taksin BTS with shuttle boat service to the school
George Frideric Händel's Oratorio with full orchestra and soloist performances by:
- Catherine Sam Harsono (Soprano)
- Saran Suebsantiwongse (Baritone)
- Pornvarin Kansirisin (Alto)
- Monique Klongtruadroke (Soprani)
- Zion Daoratanahong (Soprano)
Directed by Michael Rassinger
Tickets – 700 Baht, 600 Baht BMS Members, 300 Baht Students
Refreshments will be served
The Bangkok Music Society, assisted by the Orpheus Choir of Bangkok Opera, presents the grand and dramatic oratorio Samson by George Frideric Handel with full Baroque orchestra on Saturday, 7 June 2008, at Shrewsbury International School’s Khunying Sumanee Auditorium, a prime riverside location near the BTS.
This event, the last of our 2007-2008 season, is really a large project involving a full orchestra. To this end, we are inviting you to help us achieve our goal of making the evening a really special event, by sponsoring any member of the orchestra or indeed one of the soloist performers. For details please click here. We are very grateful for your continued support. Please write us or use the Contact Us page to indicate your preference.
Composed directly after Messiah, Samson is a tragedy of Biblical proportions with standout roles for the soloists, wonderfully effective parts for the chorus, and brilliant scoring for the orchestra. In its day, Samson was one of Handel's most popular works.
Samson, the Old Testament hero of Israel, was renowned for exploits of strength against the Philistines, the enemies of his people. His long hair was a symbol of his vows to God, and because of this covenant Samson was strong. His demise was accomplished through his love for the Philistine woman Delilah. By having his hair cut off she forced him to break his vow and thus destroyed his might. Captured and blinded, he gradually regained his strength as his hair grew long again. Chained in the temple of the Philistines during a celebration, he pulled down the edifice with his bare hands, destroying himself along with his enemies. The libretto for the oratorio was prepared by Newburgh Hamilton, based on Milton’s Simon Agonistes, a celebrated English poem on the blinded Samson.
