Israel in Egypt | Exeter Festival Chorus

From plague and pestilence to praise and triumph, Handel’s magnificent oratorio Israel in Egypt tells the powerful story of the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It has been called the “most dramatic” and “luxuriantly choral” of all Handel’s oratorios, with its vivid evocations of lamentation and exultation, and its portrayal of the plagues. Dramatic musical imagery in the orchestral score imitates the words of the text, painting the scene of each new torment visited upon the Egyptians – from eerie darkness and pounding hail to buzzing flies and hopping frogs.
At a time when all our consciences are heightened by the plight of refugees, we offer this music as an experience to share in their quest for sanctuary and salvation.