Hector Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ (The Childhood of Christ) is a luminous and deeply human oratorio that recounts the biblical story of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus fleeing to Egypt to escape King Herod’s wrath. Composed between 1853 and 1854, the work marks a departure from Berlioz’s more theatrical style, embracing instead a pastoral, introspective tone marked by tenderness and restraint. Paul McCreesh conducts the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Forum of Music Chorus with mezzo Frances Gregory as the Virgin Mary, bass-baritone Ashley Riches as Joseph in this Polish Radio recording from the National Forum of Music Wroclow.
RTÉ lyric fm, Friday 19th December, 7pm-10pm
