Philharmonic, choir to perform ‘Messiah’
Four soloists to join singers from Central United Methodist Church
“The Messiah” was a controversial hit from the start.
George Frideric Handel premiered this Christmas classic as an Easter oratorio in 1742 Dublin. Given the oratorio’s sacred subject matter, it’s hard for contemporary listeners to imagine any audience would have interpreted the music as anything but devout.
But classical and opera composers were often the subjects of moral outrage in the 1700s. Handel hoped advertising the piece as “A Sacred Oratorio” instead of “Messiah” would help defuse any criticism. He premiered the work in Dublin instead of London to try to protect it from Anglican bishops. But even in Ireland, “Gulliver’s Travels” author Jonathan Swift threatened to publicly prohibit the singers from St. Patrick’s Cathedral from participating.
The New Mexico Philharmonic will perform this holiday favorite with guest conductor David Felberg at Central United Methodist Church on Friday, Dec. 1. The musicians will be accompanied by soloists Ingela Onstad (soprano); Jacqueline ZanderWall (mezzo-soprano); tenor Seth Hartwell and baritone Michael Hix, as well as the Central United Methodist Church Chancel Choir.
“The music is tremendous; it’s incredibly communicative,” Felberg said. “It carries the emotional weight of the text. That makes it unusual.”
Handel penned what some consider his masterpiece during a low point in a once stellar career. Seeking a new
approach, he was determined to embrace the new English tradition of oratorio. Upon the completion of the famous “Hallelujah” chorus, he ran downstairs and exclaimed to a servant, “I think I did see heaven before me and the great God himself!”
“It’s definitely been a hit from the beginning,” Felberg said. “The ‘Hallelujah’ chorus has universal appeal because it’s so uplifting.”
The musicians will play an abridged version of the original score; the complete work would take 3½ hours to sing.