Tafelmusik makes the season bright with
Handel Messiah Dec 14, 15 & 16
and the return of Sing-Along Messiah Dec 17
at Koerner Hall
“Christmas just would not be the same without this beautiful and cathartic event.” (CBC News, Toronto)
November 2, 2023 … Nothing says Christmas like Tafelmusik’s Messiah! Performances of Handel’s baroque masterpiece take place on December 14, 15 & 16, 7:30 pm at Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre. Featuring a stellar cast of vocal soloists, Tafelmusik’s Messiah has been a cherished Toronto holiday tradition since 1981, conducted by Canada’s “Prince of Messiah” (Toronto Star), Ivars Taurins. Another reason to shout “Hallelujah”? After a three-year hiatus, Tafelmusik’s popular Sing-Along Messiah—directed by none other than G.F. Handel himself—returns on December 17, 2 pm at Koerner Hall. Tickets for all performances are available at the Koerner Hall box office, rcmusic.com/tickets.
Handel’s Messiah surges with emotion, drama, and poignancy. Performed in the style and spirit of the composer’s own productions, Tafelmusik’s Messiah “radiates brilliance and energy, along with an emotional depth that fully enhances the work’s expression” (AllMusic).
An international cast of guest soloists making their Tafelmusik debuts includes Rachel Redmond, soprano, Scottish-born to an Irish mother and Tanzanian father; Cameron Shahbazi, Persian-Canadian countertenor; James Reese, American tenor based in Philadelphia; and Enrico Lagasca, Filipino-American bass-baritone.
“Handel’s Messiah offers solace, an oasis away from the stress of our daily lives,” says Taurins. “Messiah’s core messages of good will, hope, and humanity resound as eloquently today as they did at its premiere in 1742.”
Sing-Along Messiah returns
For the first time since 2019, Handel’s stirring choruses get the surround-sound treatment with Sing-Along Messiah on Sunday, December 17 at 2 pm. More than 1000 audience members will fill Koerner Hall and raise their voices in this much-loved audience-participation phenomenon led by George Frideric Handel himself—aka Ivars Taurins, in character and meticulously dressed in full baroque attire and powdered wig.
A live-performance film of Sing-Along Messiah was released commercially on the Tafelmusik Media label in 2012 and has been broadcast on the Bravo!, CTV, and WNED television networks.
Tafelmusik’s Messiah has been heard around the world thanks to a live recording of the complete oratorio made in Koerner Hall and released on the Tafelmusik Media label in 2012, followed by a Best of Messiah album in 2014.
LISTING INFORMATION:
Handel Messiah
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir with Rachel Redmond, soprano; Cameron Shahbazi, countertenor; James Reese, tenor; Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone.
Directed by Ivars Taurins
December 14, 15, and 16, 2023 at 7:30pm
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street W.
Tickets start at $50 and are available at rcmusic.com/tickets
Sing-Along Messiah
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir with guest soloists Rachel Redmond, soprano; Cameron Shahbazi, countertenor; James Reese, tenor; and Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone.
Directed by G.F. Handel
December 17 at 2pm
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street W.
Tickets are $59, General Admission. Seating is by vocal section
Tickets are available at rcmusic.com/tickets
Website: tafelmusik.org
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Tafelmusik gratefully acknowledges the support of BMO, Presenting Sponsor of the 2023/24 concert season. We are also grateful to our government partners Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
ABOUT TAFELMUSIK
Tafelmusik is a world-renowned period orchestra and choir in the heart of Toronto. Founded 45 years ago on the pillars of passion, learning, and artistic excellence, Tafelmusik brings a fresh perspective to baroque music and beyond. Historically informed performances of 17th- to 19th-century instrumental and choral music share the stage with exciting multimedia programs, bold new commissions, and intriguing cross-cultural collaborations. The orchestra plays on period instruments, and all performances are illuminated by scholarship. From dynamic live concerts at Jeanne Lamon Hall in Toronto’s historic Trinity-St Paul’s Centre and stunning Koerner Hall, to international tours, award-winning recordings, and inspiring education programs, Tafelmusik is a musical powerhouse with a reputation for thrilling and delighting audiences.
Media contact:
Luisa Trisi, Big Picture Communications
luisa@luisatrisi.com | 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1X7