Haydn was a religious man all his life. His faith was optimistic and bright in nature. The text of The Creation oratorio – in which the sea rolls in foaming billows, the sun rises in its brightest splendour, cheerful flocks of birds play in lofty circles, and golden lions, lithe tigers, agile deer and swift horses appear in Paradise – must have fuelled the composer’s imagination and produced the joy of creation. In his opening aria, the archangel Uriel promises that disorder will give way to order.
The premiere of The Creation/Die Schöpfung by Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) in Vienna in 1798 was a roaring success. Though in principle intended for the audience of nobles and high-ranking officials gathered at the Schwarzenberg Palace, hundreds of curious lesser folk lined the walls, hoping to catch a note or two of the new oratorio by the Austrian composer who, after 30 years as Kapellmeister at the court in Esterházy had taken London by storm.
Whereas in Vienna, musical life tended to centre round Church and Empire, in London, concerts had become a form of public entertainment drawing its income from various sources. It was therefore with great pleasure that Haydn accepted the invitation of the impresario Johann Peter Solomon, who, on hearing that Haydn was now unemployed, had penned a personal letter suggesting a visit to London.
English audiences were clearly enamoured by music of the German-speaking regions.
English audiences were clearly enamoured by music of the German-speaking regions. It was in England that Georg Frideric Handel (1685–1759) had risen to fame and glory, and he had been bringing German colleagues to enrich the London opera scene ever since the 1720s. Works by him continued to be regarded as part of the English heritage, and Haydn was greatly impressed by the live performances he heard of The Messiah and Israel in Egypt. He was thrilled by the giant orchestras, the tone painting of individual words and phrases, the colourful harmonies, brilliant solos and strong religious charge. “Handel is the greatest of composers,” he cried, and happily turned his attention in a new direction from the symphonies and string quartets that had previously been his bread and butter.
Leaving London for the last time in 1795, Haydn had with him the text by an anonymous author of The Creation of the World found among Handel’s effects. This text drew on three sources: the biblical story of creation and psalms, and the novel Paradise Lost by John Milton. Haydn realised that the text had potential and asked Baron Swieten, who worked at the Imperial Library in Vienna, to write a German libretto. This he did, and added some poetry of his own.
In the first two parts of Haydn’s Creation, the Archangels Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael tell the biblical story of creation, spiced with Haydnish humour.
In the first two parts of Haydn’s Creation, the Archangels Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael tell the biblical story of creation, spiced with Haydnish humour. The third part is about Adam and Eve, which Haydn ends on a blissful note with never a mention of The Fall apart from a few ominous hints from Uriel. The oratorio was performed 40 times in Vienna alone during Haydn’s lifetime; only the Catholic Church prohibited its performance, saying it was too jolly. In 1800, Haydn’s Creation was the first large-scale work ever to be sung in one of two languages: English and German.
Jaani Länsiö
Lancashire-born soprano Soraya Mafi studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal College of Music in London. She has received numerous awards including the Maggie Teyte Prize (2014), the Susan Chilcott Award (2016), and Second Prize in the 2015 Kathleen Ferrier Awards.
Recent seasons featured her acclaimed performances as Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto with Welsh National Opera and Irish National Opera, as well as Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at Opera North. Highlights for the 2025–26 season include Cunegonde in Bernstein’s Candide at Welsh National Opera and Nitocris in Handel’s Belshazzar at Komische Oper Berlin.
On the concert platform, she has sung with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, collaborating with conductors such as Jonathan Cohen and Jean-Christophe Spinosi. Her recital appearances include Wigmore Hall, Philharmonie Luxembourg, and the Oxford Lieder Festival.
The flexibility and consistency of Allan Clayton’s vocal range, combined with a magnetic stage presence, have led to international acclaim in music from Baroque to contemporary. His breadth is demonstrated in recent title roles from Peter Grimes and Hamlet to Faust, Jephtha and Candide. In the 2025/26 season, he will return to the Royal Opera House as Peter Grimes and appears as Charles VII in Tchaikovsky’s Orlenskaya Deva.
He has worked frequently with Barrie Kosky at Komische Oper Berlin, most recently in Weill’s The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, and previously in Die Zauberflöte, Semele and Candide. He has sung David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at both the Royal Opera House and Bayerische Staatsoper, and Ferdinand in Miranda at Opéra Comique. A frequent guest at the BBC Proms since his 2008 debut, he is also a regular recitalist at Wigmore Hall and appears at major venues across Europe and beyond.
American bass Alex Rosen made his international debut with Les Arts Florissants under William Christie, performing Haydn’s The Creation and Handel’s Acis and Galatea. He has since performed with leading ensembles such as Pygmalion, Il Pomo d’Oro, and Jupiter Ensemble, and works regularly with conductors including Raphaël Pichon, Leonardo García Alarcón, William Christie, and Jonathan Cohen.
In the 2025/26 season, Rosen will make his house and role debut at Opéra national de Paris in the first staged production of Antonia Bembo’s Ercole amante. He will also debut at Carnegie Hall in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s under Pichon, and performs Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne under Cohen. In spring, he will be touring Europe as Achilla in Handel’s Giulio Cesare with Il Pomo d’Oro.
Alex Rosen performs regularly with pianist Michał Biel. Together they won Second Prize at the 2018 Hugo Wolf Academy Competition and have appeared at Wigmore Hall and the Victoria de Los Ángeles Lied Festival.
Jonathan Cohen has forged a remarkable career as a conductor, cellist, and keyboardist. Well known for his passion and commitment to chamber music, he is equally at home in baroque opera and the classical symphonic repertoire. He serves as Artistic Director of the Handel and Haydn Society, Artistic Director of Arcangelo, Music Director of Les Violons du Roy, and Artistic Director of Tetbury Festival. He is also the Artistic Advisor to the London Handel Festival.
Cohen founded Arcangelo in 2010 to create high-quality bespoke projects. The ensemble was the first Baroque Ensemble in Residence at Wigmore Hall, where it maintains a close relationship. Arcangelo has toured prestigious venues and festivals including Philharmonie Berlin, Vienna Konzerthaus, Barbican Centre, Kölner Philharmonie, Salzburg Festival, MA Festival Bruges, and the BBC Proms. The ensemble is the Principal Ensemble in Residence at the London Handel Festival.
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