For Christmas Day at 1 pm, what a treat! It's Handel's Baroque masterpiece, Messiah. Cristian M?celaru, conductor-in-residence of The Philadelphia Orchestra, directs the 2013 performance, with the Philadelphians joined by four distinguished soloists, and the Philadelphia Singers Chorale. Listen on WRTI's new App!
Listen to this feature, by WRTI's Susan Lewis, with historical background about Handel's Messiah and discussion of the music and libretto. Included are comments from David Hayes, music director of Philadelphia Singers; Steven Zohn, professor of music history at Temple University; and Jeffrey Brillhart, who teaches at Yale and is artistic director of Singing City. He's also director of music and fine arts at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr.
Messiah, often called the most famous oratorio ever written, is yours to enjoy from a Verizon Hall concert in 2013, here on WRTI.
PROGRAM:
George Frideric HANDEL: MESSIAH
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Cristian M?celaru: Conductor
Soloists:
Yulia Van Dore: Soprano
Sasha Cooke: Mezzo-Soprano
Nicholas Phan: Tenor
Alexander Dobson: Baritone
The Philadelphia Singers Chorale
David Hayes: Music Director
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.
