This was the first time I had heard Handel's Messiah. I was so overwhelmed with the excellence of the production. The orchestra and the soloists were superb. However it was the choir that was the star of the show!
The conductor, skilled and incredibly precise, managed to pull off such a long and difficult event with ease, while also entertaining the crowd and the choir at times.
It was worth far more than what I had paid.
I must also mention - a young woman whom I sat next to came with her 12 year old son. They were equally enthralled. They came just through the advertising , knowing nobody in the performance.
Well done to all !!
Review by Halyn van der Water
My first foray into music that wasn't pop-punk - I never knew...
The 2020 annual performance of Handel’s Messiah from Tauranga's locally grown chamber choir Scholars Baroque Aotearoa with NZ Barok Orchestra was my first foray into live music that wasn’t pop-punk. This statement alone shows my lack of understanding of classical music. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would it be droll and boring? Would I be moved to tears?
As someone who tends to prefer their music loud and electric, Handel’s Messiah in the dedicated hands of the choir's director, Chalium Poppy, was a very pleasant surprise. I never knew how much character and energy classical music could have!
It was music you felt dancing around Venue, swelling in your chest, captivating your undivided attention. It seeped into all the little spaces and filled the venue from floor to ceiling as though the instruments were alive, as human and as animated as the choir.
That night, I learned so much about the range of sound the human voice could produce; from the earthy low notes to the angelic highs. The well-oiled choir sang together seamlessly, with harmonies so intricate I had chills.
When I heard the ‘Hallelujah’ I understood why folk stand for this chorus. The trumpets and timpani working with the voices and strings was so moving that you could not stay seated.
Everyone of us should go to a Scholars Baroque Aotearoa performance of Handel’s Messiah at least once in their life, even if, like me, you’re not typically a classical music aficionado.
Review by Cayla-Fay Euinton
Sunmedia journalist and photographer
Performed with NZbarok
on Saturday, 5 December 2020
at Saint Mary Immaculate Church
