Last Updated on September 12, 2025
Madness and Majesty – Reviving A Reimagined Saul
5.0 out of 5.0 starsBarrie Kosky’s Saul first lit up the stage at Glyndebourne ten years ago, and it’s still a production people talk about—for good reason. Bursting with colour, energy, and imagination, this take on Handel’s oratorio is anything but sleepy. Think less polite concert hall or church, more vivid, surreal dreamscape. For anyone who thought Handel was best enjoyed with eyes closed, Saul is a thrilling reminder that Baroque can be anything but boring.
Oratorios, sacred musical dramas that emerged around 1600, were originally performed without staging in churches and oratories (prayer halls). Designed for spiritual reflection, they often took centre stage during periods such as Lent when opera was banned. While he gained popularity for his operas, Handel began writing oratorios in the early 1730s. Facing high production costs and shifting audience tastes, he turned to English-language sacred dramas performed without staging.
Saul, first performed in 1739, predates The Messiah by two years. While it is less often performed, the vivid storyline and Charles Jennens’ rich, emotionally complex text lend the work to modern interpretations. While European opera houses started to offer full stagings in the mid-20th century, Barrie Kosky’s seminal production at Glyndebourne in 2015 is widely regarded as the most influential of modern fully staged productions, setting a high bar for theatrical interpretation. Something not to miss…
With Jonathan Cohen conducting the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the pit, it was evident from the opening bars of the overture that we would be in for an orchestral treat. For its time, Saul was lavishly and dramatically orchestrated, with strings augmented by two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, two trumpets, and continuo–harpsichord, organ, and theorbo, with three trombones, harp and carillon (a keyboard glockenspiel).
Stunning lighting from Joachim Klein created a chilling opening scene, with the head of Goliath at the feet of a bloodied and bare-chested David (Iestyn Davies), with the people of Israel behind, engaging in a celebratory feast. Reprising the role he played in both the 2015 and 2018 productions, Davies’ performance is unquestionably brilliant, with melifluous yet powerful vocals, tasteful and impeccable ornamentation and a stage presence that has him own the role.
Christopher Purves, playing Saul, was also part of the original cast. A disturbing and Lear-like character, his success owes as much to his acting as to his singing. It’s a performance that wouldn’t be out of place in any top theatre as he oscillates from a controlling, powerful ruler to a quivering, deranged old man.
Saul first offers his oldest daughter, Merab (Sarah Brady), to David, while muttering that he doesn’t expect the hero to be around for too long when he’s sent to fight the Philistines. She’s furious at being married off to a man without a noble heritage; her opening aria, ‘My soul rejects the thought with scorn’, had all the coloratura intensity of the Queen of the Night with immaculate runs and dynamic contrast.
More familial tension appears in the form of Jonathan, his son, who soon strikes up a close friendship (and more) with David. Dutch tenor Linard Vrielink produced some beautiful vocal moments in his house debut and was well cast in the role. ‘No, cruel father, no’ was delivered immaculately, and there was palpable tension between him and David as their friendship evolved.
Soraya Mafi’s Michal was utterly lovestruck by David from the start, bubbly, charming and flirtatious. An alluring lyric soprano, she delivered a honey-toned ‘Ah, Lovely Youth’. Liam Bonthrone ably tackled four roles (Abner, High Priest, Doeg, Amalekite), a kind of fool/court jester character, created by Kosky for the original production, while Ru Charlesworth played the Witch of Endor complete with sagging breasts that somehow produce milk to fill the mouth of the deranged Saul.
The Glyndebourne Chorus, directed by Aidan Oliver, delivered a consistently powerful vocal performance, their presence amplified by expressive movement and the addition of six dynamic dancers. Otto Pichler’s original choreography was revived with flair by Merry Holden, bringing fresh energy and visual vitality to the production.
Kosky punctuates the music with spoken words, laughter, shouts and more. Irreverent it may be to some, but it serves to highlight the powerful emotional tragedy that is Handel’s Saul, a theatrical device that simply enhances the story and the strength of the music. Katrin Lea Tag’s minimalistic sets are a fitting backdrop for the characters that own this tale, while the brilliant, at times absurd costumes root us in that fantastical, dream-like world beyond the baroque.
Go to enjoy the stunning setting of Glyndebourne, see a spectacular Saul, hear some impeccable music and finally, go to listen to Iestyn Davies at his most haunting and memorable.
8 June – 24 July 2025
Saul
Glyndebourne
Lewes
East Sussex
United Kingdom
BN8 5UU
Looking for something different? Check out our review of The Barber of Seville at Glyndebourne
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