Handel’s ‘Saul’ gets “heroic treatment” by McGegan, Van Doren & Panthaki

“Saturday’s performance, which repeats Friday in San Francisco and Saturday in Palo Alto to close Philharmonia’s 38th season, found McGegan and ensemble in top form, powering through the two hour, 50-minute score with brisk, unflagging energy…Robust bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch thundered appropriately, relishing every moments of Saul’s badness, and sopranos Sherezade Panthaki (Michal) and Yulia Van Doren (Merab) made vivid impressions as the daughters he uses as bargaining chips.”