The experience of George Frideric Handel's "Messiah," one of the most popular and well-known pieces of classical music, is profoundly changed by bold staging the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presented for the first time Friday night.
There is no denying the impact of stage director Sam Helfrich's interpretation of this beloved score. He sets each of the three parts of "Messiah" in different time periods in America. The first part's optimism took place in the 1950s, the troubled second part in the present and then, most intriguingly, the third part (with "I know my Redeemer Liveth") went back a century to the era of massive immigration from Europe before World War I.
The solo singers and chorus had most of the stage to themselves, with spare sets and effective lighting. Music Director Manfred Honeck led a very decisive performance from the orchestra pit created by partially lowering the front of the stage — the part sometimes used to bring up a grand piano for a concerto.
The solo singers, beginning with tenor William Ferguson's recitative "Comfort ye" and aria "Ev'ry valley shall be exalted," were dressed as members of the Salvation Army in part one, drawing everyone in to praise of God. Conviction can compensate somewhat for technical flaws, a quality that redeemed occasional problems with the soloists and more frequent ones in the choir.
There were numerous felicities in Helfrich's details, including a young girl dancing and playing jacks. Attack Theatre's co-director Peter Kope worked with Helfrich, the solo singers and chorus on movement.
Helfrich has bite to his interpretation, too. The collection plate is passed around during "And He shall purify." The take is counted at the start of "O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion."
The violence in part two, which in Handel is about Christ's persecution and death, reflects the director's view that the optimism of the 1950s is lost. Yet no one goes to "Messiah" expecting to see a character beaten to death by security guards.
In short, the symphony's "Messiah" for 2011 should generate serious thought about the story of this work, no less from what is problematic than from what rings true.
The concert will be repeated at 8 p.m. today and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Heinz Hall, Downtown. Admission is $20 to $93. Details: 412-392-4900 or www.pittsburghsymphony.org .
