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Sing out for the holidays: ‘Messiah’ and more on the way
Just as much a harbinger of Yuletide as the annual TV screenings of Miracle on 34th Street and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is the Messiah oratorio, written in 1741 by German-British baroque composer George Fredirik Handel.
With its stirring “Hallelujah” Chorus, Messiah has become one of the best-known and best-loved choral works around the world, and is closely associated with the coming of Christmas.
Both the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and the Tampa Oratorio Singers have Messiah performances scheduled, with orchestra, in the coming days.
Now in its 45th season, the Master Chorale is officially the designated chorus of The Florida Orchestra. Matthew Abernathy, the 130-voice chorus’ musical director, believes the human voice is most likely the greatest musical instrument of all.
“Singing is deeply personal, and deeply human,” he told the Catalyst in 2023. “Because we don’t have an instrument as our filter. If you’re a violinist, the music’s ultimately coming out of this instrument – it’s transmitted through you, but there’s another layer between you and the audience.
“Great singers and great choirs? It’s the singers directly to the audience. There’s no barrier between them. It hits you at such a human level because you could do it. You’re just one step removed from being a singer. Anybody is.”
The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay.
Saturday at 7 p.m., Abernathy and the Chorale invite all aspiring vocalists to join them for a partial sing-along of Messiah at the Cathedral of St. Peter, in St. Petersburg. Scores will be available for borrowing, but if you’ve got one, bring it along. (Please pre-register here).
The Master Chorale and The Florida Orchestra will perform Messiah as part of the annual TFO Holiday Pops concert, Dec. 20 at the Straz Center, Dec. 21 at the Mahaffey Theater and Dec. 22 at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Established in 1967 and based at Hillsborough County’s Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, the Tampa Oratorio Singers perform choral works on both sides of the bay – the 60-member chorus starts its holiday season with Messiah (with orchestra) Thursday at Clearwater’s Church of the Ascension (701 Orange Ave.). Tickets are available here.
Sunday at 4 p.m., the Oratorio Singers’ secular program Carols of the Season is performed at Palma Ceia, 3501 W San Jose St., Tampa (tickets are here). The program is also presented at St. Pete’s Cathedral of St. Peter’s Church at 7 that evening (tickets here).
The group is back with Messiah Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 9 and 10) at Palma Ceia, with a free-will offering gratefully accepted.
Nancy Callahan, director of the Tampa Oratorio Singers, is a past Dean of the American Guild of Organists, and served as Director of Music at Hyde Park United Methodist Church for 25 years.
An audience sing-along is also part of the program for Classical Christmas, a collaboration between The Florida Orchestra and the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay (with the Lumina Youth Choirs).
Set for Dec. 13 at the Straz Center and Dec. 14 at the Mahaffey Theater, Messiah is not on the program, but there’s a rich selection of olde English carols, wintery classical works and a few newer vocal pieces on board.
Find tickets here.
READ MORE: Tampa Bay Performing arts for the holidays
