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Details
Barbican Hall
Silk Street
Barbican, City of London
London
EC2Y 8DS
England
Programme
George Frideric Handel – Messiah, HWV 56
Performers
Ailish Tynan – soprano
Tim Mead – countertenor
Robert Murray – Tenor
Jonathan Lemalu – bass-baritone
Richard Egarr – harpsichord / director
Academy of Ancient Music
Choir of the AAM
Other concerts in this Series (+)
Programme Note
Messiah stands as an enduring staple of Christmas celebrations across the world. Its popularity today belies the huge controversy that the work caused during the eighteenth century. But what originally made Anglican authorities hostile — the way in which Messiah imbued the story of Christ’s birth and resurrection with hitherto unknown musical allure and dramatic immediacy — also ensured the work’s immortal success.
The British public quickly took Handel’s glorious work to heart. Entire communities became Messiah fans, silencing conservative critics with hugely popular performances. By the nineteenth century, the seasonal Messiah tradition was part of life for audiences across the globe. Handel’s masterwork remains an unmissable fixture in the Christmas calendar.
