Messiah is one of the oratorios most closely associated with Christmas, although Handel originally conceived it for Easter. Its text follows the life of Jesus, from the Annunciation to the Resurrection, and includes some of the best-known choruses in classical music. At the Palau, it is performed by the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, both specialists in Handel’s music, under the direction of Justin Doyle. The soloists are Julia Doyle, Tim Mead, Thomas Hobbs and Roderick Williams. A chance to hear Baroque music in a historically informed performance.
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Handel wrote Messiah in just 24 days in 1741, working mainly at his London home in Brook Street. The text was not his own: the libretto was compiled by Charles Jennens from passages of the Bible.
The tradition of standing during the Hallelujah chorus is said to date back to a performance attended by King George II in 1743. The first written account of the story appeared in 1780, almost forty years later.
The concert includes Catalan surtitles to help audiences follow the English text.
