Messiah – Handel

Join us for an unforgettable evening as St Bride’s Choir and Orchestra perform Part One of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday 8th December at 5:30pm – the second of our four special Sunday evening Advent events.

We are delighted to revive this very popular event in our Advent calendar.

The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend.

Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment.

125 places will be held for later admission for those who arrive on the day without registration.

If you need assistance with this please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected].

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St Bride's is wholly reliant on the generous support of our visitors and congregation, for which we are deeply grateful.

This event is free to attend, but we hope you might consider making a donation to support our work, our magnificent Wren church, and the internationally-acclaimed music-making you will hear.

You can make a Donation on EventBrite when completing your reservation; or donate by cash or contactless at church; or via our JustGiving page.

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Messiah demonstrates Handel’s masterly ability to marry music and drama. Part One is often described as the Christmas section of this much-loved oratorio. It recounts the foretelling of Jesus’s birth – replete with angels and shepherds abiding in fields – then tells of the hope that Christmas brings to us all.

As is customary when performing only Part One, the evening concludes with the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus.

Premiered in Dublin in 1742, Messiah was an instant success. One first night review wrote how the exquisite blend of music and words “conspired to transport and charm the ravished Heart and Ear.”

London audiences – harder to please then, as today! – initially gave it a chilly reception but were soon won over and have continued to be. Unlike many great choral works, Messiah has never fallen out of favour.

The French-style opening Sinfony sets the scene for a succession of chorus masterpieces interspersed with a wide range of solo arias sung by our world-class St Bride’s Choir, accompanied by the St Bride’s Orchestra, under the direction of Matthew Morley.

Host or Publisher St Bride's Church