's oratorio , bombed at its first performance in 1739 and was heavily revised by . The revisions go even further here, in what is marked as an adaptation by director . She makes wholesale cuts, removing numerous arias, consolidating others, and leaving only a few recitatives. retains, however, the three-part structure of 's first attempt (the librettist was probably of ), consisting of the "Lamentations by the Israelites for the Death of Joseph," "Exodus," and "Moses' Song." She also keeps the chorus-heavy quality of 's originals. The nearly three-hour oratorio usually heard is sliced to just over 74 minutes. All this might seem an unwarranted intrusion, but himself obviously struggled with the material of this oratorio, which isn't one of his more commonly heard works. And lo, 's reworking succeeds solidly, creating convincing dramatic arcs where they previously existed only in outline. The ten plagues are shortened considerably but make more of an impact in their abbreviated form. The greatest strength here is the choral writing, in many places the equal of anything in . is a rather underrated choral-orchestral group from the U.S. Midwest that offers a satisfyingly good-sized choir with clear text articulation and a fine sense of expressing what they are singing about. A strong offering that will be appreciated by lovers during the 2023 holiday season and beyond. ~ James Manheim