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The terrible Atalia, having eliminated the entire royal family in order to secure her power, reigns mercilessly over Jerusalem. But seven years later, the High Priest, determined to put an end to her tyranny, joins forces with General Ormano and the wise old Nourrice to bring little Joas, the only survivor of the massacre, to the throne. Emmanuel Resche-Caserta and the Ensemble Hemiolia make Francesco Gasparini's oratorio their own, bringing to life characters in the grip of fury, vengeance and exaltation. The music, with it's striking dramatic intensity, underlines the final moral: justice and innocence always triumph.