Renowned for their Handel interpretations, Harry Christophers and his award-winning choir, The Sixteen, add to their glittering catalogue of Handel discs with this new recording of Saul.

In his biblical oratorio, Saul, Handel wrote an epic work of great and noble drama and of thrilling musical inventiveness. Saul represents Handel’s first proper foray into oratorio and it is a masterpiece full of great and magical moments. It is bursting with exceptional music, extraordinary orchestration (replete with trombones, deep-sounding drum and perky carillon), extended choruses both profound and ebullient, symphonies, concerto movements for organ, recitatives which explore the varying moods of the characters, and the most stunning arias.

In Saul, Handel gifted soloists with roles of vivid characterisation and the artists on this disc are some of the finest Handelian interpreters of today, including Christopher Purves - a baritone whose talent for dramatic realisation is matched by superb musical craftsmanship - and Sarah Connolly, whose intensely radiant performance of David on this CD confirms her status as one of our most sought-after Handel performers.

Both Christopher and Sarah sang with The Sixteen at the start of their careers, and Sarah released her first solo album Heroes and Heroines on Coro, so it is with great pride that we welcome them back for this recording. Robert Murray, Elizabeth Atherton and Joélle Harvey, along with Sixteen regulars Mark Dobell, Jeremy Budd and Stuart Young, complete the stellar line-up of soloists on this new recording.

Cast:
- Christopher Purves: Saul
- Sarah Connolly: David
- Robert Murray: Jonathan
- Elizabeth Atherton: Merab
- Joélle Harvey: Michal
- Mark Dobell: High Priest
- Jeremy Budd: Witch of Endor
- Stuart Young: Ghost of Samuel