Classical and Jazz: Preview - Soprano Sarah Fox at the Barbican on December 14
Published: 24 November, 2011
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
The festive season would not so festive without Handel’s Messiah popping up all over town.
This year, there are so many Messiah performers that even the most enthusiastic Handelerians would be hard pushed to get round the lot.
There’s wide choice, of course. Large-scale performances are being held in the Royal Albert Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Festival Hall.
More intimate performances are in the Handel House Museum and various churches including Rosslyn Hill Chapel, Hampstead; Grosvenor Church, Mayfair; St Martin-in-the-Fields; and St James’s Piccadilly.
Early music enthusiasts can choose from some really worthwhile concerts, the Hogan Ensemble and Solistes de Musique at St George’s Bloomsbury and the Academy of Ancient Music at the Barbican.
International operatic soprano Sarah Fox features at the Barbican concert alongside Ben Johnson, the young tenor who was such a hit in English National Opera’s production of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore earlier this autumn.
Whatever your fancy, book early as some concerts are nearly sold out already.
December dates for Handel’s Messiah concerts include:
7: St Paul’s Cathedral – performance by Cathedral Choir and City of London Sinfonia
8: Handel House Museum, Mayfair – Handel House Harmonies
11: Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley St, Mayfair – Handel House Singers with Linden Baroque Orchestra conducted by Laurence Cummings
13: St George’s Bloomsbury – Solistes de Musique Ancienne with Hogan Ensemble
13: Royal Festival Hall – London Philharmonic Choir with Mozart Festival Orchestra
14: Barbican – Academy of Ancient Music conducted by Richard Egarr from the harpsichord
14: Cadogan Hall – London Concert Choir
15: Handel House Museum, Mayfair – Handel House Harmonies
15 and 16: Royal Albert Hall – two performances by three choirs including
Highgate Choral Society with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
17: Rosslyn Hill Chapel, Hampstead – Hampstead Chamber Choir
17: St James’s Piccadilly – Joyful Company of Singers and Georgian Camerata
22 and 23: St Martin-in-the-Fields – English Chamber Choir and Belmont Ensemble of London.