Ardingly Choral Society offers Handel’s Messiah
For their Spring concert on Sunday, April 3 at 7.30pm, Ardingly Choral Society are finally performing Handel’s Messiah in the Chapel at Ardingly College, picking up the performance which was postponed from 2020. Spokesman Melvyn Walmsley said: “The society had not performed the complete work for twelve years at that time
“So it is high time to perform the most vibrant and exciting of all choral works! Handel wrote Messiah in a completely unbelievable short time of three weeks in 1741. While writing the Hallelujah Chorus, he said he had seen God, and the inspiration and vitality of the music certainly seem to confirm his belief. “The soloists will be well known to regular attenders: Olivia Bell (soprano), Jane Haughton (alto), Lawrence Olsworth-Peter (tenor) and Mark Stone (bass).
“All of these have performed throughout the UK and abroad and will bring a most accomplished and inspirational brilliance to the concert.
“The conductor, as usual, will be Robert Hammersley. “Sussex Baroque Ensemble (leader Martin Palmer) will be accompanying the choir, along with Mike
Wood (timpani) and Andrew Baxter (trumpet), while
David Moore will provide the organ continuo. “Throughout the unprecedented period in which so many of their activities have been restricted, Ardingly Choral Society have been able to keep practising and even giving the occasional performance, when circumstances have allowed. This is an opportunity to enjoy supporting the society once again.”
Tickets are available online (www.ardinglychoralsociety. org.uk) at £13 or on the door at £15.
The choir meets on Thursdays during school term times from 7.30pm9pm in the Recital Room of the Music School at Ardingly College.