© 2024 WRTI
Your Classical and Jazz Source. Celebrating 75 Years!
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
 
ALERT: there will be maintenance throughout the evening to upgrade the infrastructure for HD-2 and the audio stream. As a result, there may be intermittent outages.

The Philadelphians In Concert on WRTI: Handel's MESSIAH on Easter Sunday, 1 PM

Join us this Easter Sunday at 1 pm to hear a Philadelphia Orchestra concert that actually kicked off the holiday season in grand style this past December. WRTI will broadcast a joyous performance of Handel's Messiah, with a world-class roster of vocalists, a chorus of talented voices from throughout our region, and the musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra, all conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin.

This performance welcomed the return of the Scottish mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill, and English tenor Andrew Staples, whose deeply emotive performances in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion have moved Philadelphia audiences in past seasons.

Canadian Soprano Karina Gauvin also returned for this Messiah, after her riveting 2012 appearances in the work. English Bass Matthew Rose - who studied at the Curtis Institute here in Philadelphia - made his debut with this appearance, and Yannick also welcomed the addition of French countertenor Christophe Dumaux for this interpretation of Handel’s masterpiece.

The soloists were joined by the Philadelphia Voices – a newly assembled chorus, directed by Curtis faculty member Jonathan Coopersmith – and their members filled the conductor’s circle behind and above the stage.

During the brief intermission, WRTI's Susan Lewis speaks backstage with Yannick.

Be sure to join us for this performance of the most famous oratorio ever written, a perfect accompaniment for your Easter Sunday activities, from 1 until approximately 3:45 pm on WRTI.

PROGRAM:

Handel – Messiah Part 1

INTERMISSION:

Parts 2 and 3

Karina Gauvin, Soprano

Karen Cargill, Mezzo-soprano

Christophe Dumaux, Countertenor

Andrew Staples, tenor

Matthew Rose, Bass

The Philadelphia Voices

Jonathan Coopersmith - Choral Direction

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Conductor

Gregg Whiteside is producer and host of The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert broadcasts on WRTI 90.1 FM in Philadelphia and streaming online at WRTI.org, every Sunday from 1 to 3 pm.

Gregg was the host of WRTI's morning drive show from 2012 until his retirement from WRTI in January, 2021. He began producing and hosting The Philadelphia Orchestra In Concert broadcasts in 2013, joining the Orchestra in Hong Kong for the first-ever live international radio broadcasts from that island in 2016, and in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for two historic broadcasts in 2018. You can still hear Gregg as host of the Orchestra broadcasts every Sunday and Monday on WRTI.