Israel in Egypt

Event details

Sunday, May 22, 2022
4:00 p.m.
Doors open at 3:30 p.m.

The Parish of St. Mary, 1 Phalanx Road, Colts Neck

MCC presents Handel’s Israel in Egypt.  The story of the plagues of Egypt, the flight of the Israelites, and their victory over Pharaoh’s army, is told in striking choruses, stunning solos, and moving instrumental passages. 

Tickets: General admission: $35, Senior: $32, Student: $15, Group (10+): $30

COVID-19 policy for audience members

All audience members will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and to wear a mask at all times while on the premises. Please only buy a ticket if you are able to adhere to these policies.

Performance

Total concert runtime, including intermission, is approximately 90 minutes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the venue.

Israel in Egypt

Libretto

Part I

1 — RECITATIVE. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph; and he set over Israel taskmasters to afflict them with burthens, and they made them serve with rigour.
Ex. i. 8, 11, 13.

2 — CHORUS. And the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and their cry came up unto God. They oppressed them with burthens, and made them serve with rigour; and their cry came up unto God.
Ex. ii. 23.

3 — RECITATIVE. Then sent He Moses, His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen; these shewed His signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He turned their waters into blood.
Ps. cv. 26, 27, 29.

4 — CHORUS. They loathed to drink of the river. He turned their waters into blood.
Ex. vii. 18, 19.

5 — AIR. Their land brought forth frogs, yea even in their king’s chambers.
Ps. cv. 30.
He gave their cattle over to the pestilence; blotches and blains broke forth on man and beast.
Ex. xi. 9, 10.

6 — CHORUS. He spake the word, and there came all manner of flies and lice in all their quarters. He spake; and the locusts came without number, and devoured the fruits of the ground.
Ps. cv. 31, 34, 35.

7 — CHORUS. He gave them hailstones for rain; fire mingled with the hail ran along upon the ground.
Ps. cv. 32; Ex. ix. 23, 24.

8 — CHORUS. He sent a thick darkness over the land, even darkness which might be felt.
Ex. x. 21.

9 — CHORUS. He smote all the first-born of Egypt, the chief of all their strength.
Ps. cv. 36, 37.

10 — CHORUS. But as for His people, He led them forth like sheep: He brought them out with silver and gold; there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
Ps. lxxviii. 53; cv. 37.

11 — CHORUS. Egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them fell upon them.

12 — CHORUS. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up.
Ps. cvi. 9.

13 — CHORUS. He led them through the deep as through a wilderness.
Ps. cvi. 9.

14 — CHORUS. But the waters overwhelmed their enemies, there was not one of them left.
Ps., cvi. 11.

15 & 16 — CHORUS. And Israel saw that great work that the Lord did upon the Egyptians; and the people feared the Lord , and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.
Ex. xiv. 31.

Part II

17 & 18 — CHORUS. Moses and the children of Israel sung this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying: I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.
Ex. xv. 1.

19 — DUET. The Lord is my strength and my song; He is become my salvation.
Ex. xv. 2.

22 — DUET. The Lord is a man of war: Lord is His name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
Ex. xv. 2.

23 — CHORUS. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Ex. sv. 5.

27 — CHORUS. And with the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
Ex. xv. 8.

28 — AIR. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
Ex. xv. 9.

29 — AIR. Thou didst blow with the wind, the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
Ex. xv. 10.

30 & 31 — CHORUS. Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thous stretchest out Thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
Ex. xv. 11, 12.

32 — DUET. Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth Thy people which Thou hast redeemed; Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation.
Ex. xv. 13.

33 — CHORUS. The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on them: all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away: by the greatness of Thy arm they shall be as still as a stone: till Thy people pass over, O Lord, which Thou has purchased.
Ex. xv. 14, 15, 16.

35 — CHORUS. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
Ex. xv. 18.

36 — RECITATIVE. For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
Ex. xv. 19.

37 — CHORUS. The lord shall reign for ever and ever.
Ex. xv. 18.

38 — RECITATIVE. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them:
Ex. xv. 20, 21

39 — SOLO and CHORUS. Sing ye to the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.
Ex. xv. 21, 18.

Program notes

George Frederic Handel (1685-1750) enjoyed a long and successful career in Germany and England, with his prolific musical output adored by audiences and underwritten by royalty. Best known for the ever-popular Messiah, Handel composed hundreds of pieces for the church, stage, and concert hall. He wrote Israel in Egypt in 1737, after recovering from both a paralytic stroke and the increasing unpopularity of his opera productions. With text from Exodus and Psalms in the King James Bible, it tells the story of the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt, familiar to many of us from the Passover Seder, the Easter Vigil church service, and the 1970s musical comedy Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

Circa 1900 BCE, Joseph, one of 12 sons of Jacob (known as Israel) living in Canaan, was sold to nomads by his jealous brothers and ended up as a trusted advisor to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s prophetic dreams and saved the Egyptians from a prolonged famine by planning ahead to stockpile grain. When Joseph’s brothers brought their families to Egypt in search of food, Joseph helped them settle and prosper. As their population grew through many generations, a new Pharaoh considered them a threat and forced them into slave labor. That’s where Handel begins the first part of Israel in Egypt. 

When Pharaoh ordered all male children of Israel to be killed, the mother of Moses placed the baby in a basket in the Nile, where Pharaoh’s daughter found him and raised him as an Egyptian prince. As an adult, Moses learned of his people’s enslavement and was appointed as God’s messenger, assisted by his brother Aaron. Moses repeatedly asked Pharaoh to let his people go and warned him of divine punishments, but to no avail. God sent a series of plagues, which Handel portrays in high drama: blood, frogs, disease, flies, lice, locusts, hail, fire, darkness, and the killing of the first-born as the last and worst plague. 

Like autocrats past and present, Pharaoh ignored the suffering of his people, but finally relented when he suffered himself: his own first-born son was killed. Even then, he betrayed his promise to let the Israelites leave, sending his army to capture them when they reached the Red Sea. God parted the waters just long enough for the Israelites to cross safely, but drowned the soldiers and their horses. Moses guided his people through the desert for 40 years to Canaan, where he founded a new religion. Moses’ and Aaron’s sister Miriam led songs thanking God for their deliverance, vividly set by Handel as the second part of Israel in Egypt.

Throughout this oratorio, we hear Handel skillfully delivering the emotional impact of the story. The chorus plays the starring role, acting out cries of anguish, disgust at blood and infestation, fear of darkness, violence in killing, and astonishment at miracles. Solos and duets move the plot along and reinforce the people’s praise and gratitude. The orchestra adds color, power, and depth to the voices. Our orchestra for this performance is an expert Baroque ensemble, playing period instruments to recreate this glorious work as Handel would have heard it. To learn more about Israel in Egypt, listen to Artistic Director Ryan James Brandau hosting the WWFM radio broadcast Sounds Choral below.

— Susan Metz

About the Artistic Director

Instrumentalists Performing

MCC Members Performing

Watch the official trailer

Hear RJB talk Israel in Egypt on Sounds Choral

Download the press release

You can find and download a PDF of the official press release for this event here.

Explore RJB’s Best of Handel playlist