My second major project for Pinchgut Opera in 2025 is their performances of Handel’s Messiah at City Recital Hall. Presenting the original ‘Dublin Version’ with just twelve singers and the extraordinary playing of the Orchestra of the Antipodes will be very special.

This year, we celebrate the holiday season with one of the most beloved works of Baroque music, Handel's Messiah.

Renowned for its profound beauty and spiritual depth, Messiah isa deeply moving and transcendent experience.

Since its premiere in Dublin in 1742, Messiah has become one of the most performed choral works in Western music. Pinchgut will perform Handel's original Dublin version with an ensemble of 12 singers. The original scoring with its transparency and lightness of touch will be a revelation even to those who know the work well.

Handel's ability to convey complex emotions through his music makes Messiah a timeless work of art. Its blend of lyrical beauty and dramatic intensity ensures its place as a cornerstone of Baroque repertoire.

Erin Helyard leads the Orchestra of the Antipodes from the keyboard, just as Handel did, in his first time conducting Messiah on period instruments.

In a work that has become synonymous with Christmas and the holiday season, this a rare opportunity to discover it afresh, as the original audience did over 300 years ago.

Messiah
(Orginal Dublin Version, 1742)
by George Frideric Handel

Running time: 3 hours, including interval

Sung in English with surtitles

City Recital Hall, Sydney

Thursday 27 November, 7pm
Saturday 29 November, 2pm
Sunday 30 November, 5pm
Tuesday 2 December, 1pm
Wednesday 3 December, 7pm