A new staged production of Handel's oratorio Belshazzar has now opened at the Opernhaus Zürich, with Handel specialist Laurence Cummings triumphantly returning to the Zürich podium to conduct Orchestra La Scintilla. This is his third appearance at the house, having previously conducted Purcell's King Arthur and the world premiere of SALE, for which he was described as "universally excellent" (Financial Times).
Laurence has received consistently superb reviews for his musical direction in Belshazzar:
"All the more pleasing is what comes out of the raised orchestra pit. Under Laurence Cummings La Scintilla makes expressive and colorful music. The proven Baroque specialist lets the orchestra speak, sing, dance, flare individual lines, others sound brittle and pale. Always in line with the text." - Bruno Rauch, ch-intercultur
"Baumgarten has strong allies. Above all, the conductor Laurence Cummings, who creates a highly emotional, highly concentrated performance with the Orchestra La Scintilla." - Susanne Kübler, Tages Anzeiger
"Laurence Cummings on the podium of the orchestra La Scintilla moves with flowing tempos and clear articulation at the height of today's Handel interpretation" - Christian Wildhagen, Neue Zürcher Zeitung
“Orchestra La Scintilla”, conducted by Handel specialist Laurence Cummings, captivates the late Baroque affect rhetoric and sends a multitude of colours into the sound space" - Torbjörn Bergflödt, Südkurier
"Laurence Cummings magnificently highlights Handel's rich score with the fabulous Orchestra "La Scintilla" - Werner M. Grimmel, Frankfurter Allgemeine
Belshazzar runs until 6 December, with more information available here. Highlights of Laurence's 2019/20 season also include his debut at the Théâtre du Châtelet, conducting Saul (dir. Barrie Kosky); along with appearances with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble, the English Concert, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of Ancient Music, and the MDR Orchester; and his regular commitments at the London and Göttingen Handel Festivals and Casa da Musica, Porto.
