United States Alessandro Stradella, Ester Liberatrice del Popolo Ebreo: Jessica Gould (Ester), Sonia Tedla (Speranza Celeste), Kinneret Ely (Mardocheo), Paul Max Tipton (Aman), Salvo Vitale (Assuero) Matthew Curran (Testo) Elisse Albian & Christina Kay (Two Hebrew Women), Members of the Camerata Grimani (Ian Jones, Kiyoun Jang [violins], Andrea Damiani [theorbo], Adam Young [viola da gamba], Cameron Khan [harpsichord]). Museum at Eldridge Street, New York City, 8.3.2026. (AA)
On March 8, International Women’s Day, Salon Sanctuary Concerts offered a sterling performance of the 1673 oratorio Ester, Liberatrice Del Popolo Ebreo (Esther, Liberator of the Jewish People) by Alessandro Stradella. It was a unique gift to fans of Baroque rarities, Jewish New Yorkers who hadn’t yet had their fill of Purim celebrations (Purim is the holiday that commemorates Queen Esther’s triumph), or anyone looking to travel to a time when Iran was still called Persia.
Stradella (1643-1682), an influential figure of the middle Baroque period, was among the few Italians who served as inspiration for Handel. His operas and oratorios foreshadow those of the German composer in terms of melodic invention and character delineation. Here, the prototypical Biblical figures of Esther, King Achashverosh, and the evil Haman are brought to life with highly individualized and nuanced musical styles.
In recent years, SSC has taken the lead in bringing Ester back to the public’s attention. They have offered the only complete performances of the work in the US (a recent Chicago presentation, for example, cut the chorus and several smaller roles) and documented their interpretation with an excellent recording on CD (Navona 6629). Their performance in the meticulously restored and stunning 19th-century synagogue of the Museum at Eldridge Street in Lower Manhattan was attended by an enthusiastic capacity audience. It is an ideal setting for baroque music, both in terms of ambience and acoustics.
Three of the principals were repeating the roles they sing on the recording. Soprano Sonia Tedla brought pristine tone and a mellifluous balance of brightness and warmth to the allegorical role of Speranza Celeste (‘Heavenly Hope’). The sonorous bass Salvo Vitale unfurled a cavernous voice of earthy gravitas for the King’s music in Act II. Esther was portrayed by Jessica Gould (SSC’s Founder). Gould is a rarity among Baroque interpreters. A dramatic soprano with a lush mezzo-like timbre, she sings with remarkable precision and finesse. Her attention to the text is specific and compelling, and her distinctive vocal color, coupled with her commanding physical presence, fully projected the Queen’s fears, courage, and charm.
In the smaller roles, mezzo-soprano Kinneret Ely, a new addition to the cast, made a strong impression in the short but pivotal travesti role of Mardocheo (Mordechai). Bass Matthew Curran, as the Narrator (Testo), plumbed the depths of his profondo range with ease. Two lighter sopranos, Elisse Albian and Christina Kay, were delightful as two Hebrew Women in a charming duet at the beginning of Act I.
There was also some off-stage drama associated with the performance. The villain Aman (Haman) was sung with energy and emotional depth by bass-baritone Paul Max Tipton, who filled in for an indisposed colleague with less than two weeks to prepare the daunting role. Also stepping in at very short notice was the outstanding young harpsichordist Cameron Khan (of Iranian descent, as it turns out) leading the fleet members of the excellent Camerata Grimani. As in the story of the Jews’ triumphant liberation from a death decree during the First Persian Empire, everything turned out joyously in the end.
Allan Altman#
Featured Image: Post-performance bow after Stradella’s Ester Liberatrice del Popolo Ebreo at the Museum at Eldridge Street © Harold Levine
NYC-based writer Allan Altman has written hundreds of reviews of opera and classical vocal DVDs and CDs for American Record Guide, as well as feature articles for Carnegie Hall newsletters and Opera News. As Vice-President of Video Artists International (vaimusic.com), Altman has produced more than 500 performing arts DVDs and CDs featuring legendary artists from the worlds of opera, ballet, symphonic music, Broadway, and more.