The Minnesota Orchestra concludes its holiday season with a special Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along concert, performed with 150 members of the Minnesota Chorale, the Orchestra’s principal chorus. Chorale Artistic Director Kathy Saltzman Romey conducts the concert, which includes the “Hallelujah” and “For unto us a child is born” choruses, as well as solo arias and other oratorio selections.
“Messiah is full of moments that express the human experience, from the pure celebration of the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus to passages that are much more contemplative and meditative,” says Romey. “The opportunity to sing along brings a new dimension to one of the Twin Cities’ happiest musical traditions.”
The concert is held on Sunday, December 23, at 2 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, with tickets priced at $25 for adults and $10 for students and youth. In addition, the Orchestra, Chorale and four guest soloists present three traditional Messiah concerts under conductor Stephen Layton on Wednesday, December 12, Thursday, December 13, and Sunday, December 16 at various locations (refer to separate release for full details).
A holiday highlight: Voices raised with Orchestra
For the Messiah Sing-Along, a core group of 46 Chorale members sings from the stage, while an additional 104 are seated with the audience. Eight Chorale soloists are featured in solo arias that alternate with sing-along selections. Audience members may sit in soprano, alto, tenor or bass sections or in a mixed-voice seating area in the auditorium.
“Some people will come to enjoy the work and experience a ‘surround-sound’ performance, while others will be there to actively participate in the joy of community singing,” says Romey. “Either way, I think it will be a very satisfying afternoon for everyone present.”
The Minnesota Orchestra first performed Handel’s Messiah on Christmas Day, 1903, just seven weeks after its inaugural concert. Since 1966 the ensemble has presented the work annually with many distinguished conductors and soloists. Its last Messiah sing-along concert was held in 1988, in collaboration with the Bach Society Chorus of Minnesota.
Kathy Saltzman Romey and the Minnesota Chorale
Kathy Saltzman Romey has been artistic director of the Minnesota Chorale since 1995 and was named choral advisor to the Minnesota Orchestra in 2004, when the Chorale became the Orchestra’s principal chorus. The Messiah sing-along performance marks her second time conducting the Orchestra and Chorale together in concert; she previously led Tavener’s Song for Athene in 2002. She is also director of choral activities at the University of Minnesota, where she directs two vocal ensembles. She appears often as a guest conductor and clinician throughout the U.S.
Each season the Minnesota Chorale collaborates with the Orchestra in numerous concerts. Its upcoming orchestral performances include a program of Brahms works under the baton of Helmuth Rilling (May) and Stephen Paulus’ oratorio To Be Certain of the Dawn (February). -- www.minnesotaorchestra.org
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