Sydney Philharmonia Choirs presents:
Handel's Messiah - Part the First
Saturday, 5 December 2000, 2PM and 5PM
St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
Handel's Messiah is a biennial fixture in the Sydney Philharmonia concert calendar. Last year 2019 marked Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' final performance of Messiah in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall as it closed for renovations. This immortal oratorio wasn’t due for another Sydney Philharmonia outing until 2021, but after a tough year due to Covid-19 SPC turns to the comfort of tradition and the joyous, uplifting power of Handel’s greatest oratorio.
Sydney Philharmonia's COVID-safe Messiah will look a little different for this special concert. The Symphony Chorus – normally a cast of hundreds – will number just 32 singers and they’ll be supported by a streamlined orchestra of strings with trumpets and drums. As it happens, this is nearly identical to the forces Handel used for the premiere in Dublin in 1742.
SPC won’t be suggesting the Ladies come without their hoops or the Gentlemen leave their swords at home in order to squeeze more people into St Andrew’s Cathedral. They're limiting capacity to 400 people, including performers, and asking everyone to keep at least one swords’ distance at all times.
Finally, in order to keep the concert to an hour, only Part 1 will be performed: The prophecy of Christ’s appearance on earth and the Nativity.
“What! No Hallelujah Chorus?” No fear, Sydney Philharmonia wouldn’t deprive us of a chance to stand up, although they are requesting the audience to refrain from singing along.
Don’t delay or you might be like the hundreds who were left milling around outside the Fishamble Street Musick Hall in 1742, hoping to get in…
A joy to hear the Phillies sing again. 
Program:
Saturday 5th December 2020, 2pm & 5pm
St Andrew’s Cathedral
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Messiah Part the First (Plus 'Hallelujah Chorus')
Brett Weymark conductor
Sydney Philharmonia Symphony Chorus
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra
Penelope Mills Soprano
Russell Harcourt Countertenor
Richard Butler Tenor
Christopher Richardson Bass
Concert duration: 60 minutes, no interval
General Admission $50 + booking fee
IMPORTANT COVID-19 SAFETY INFORMATION
- Audience members over the age of 12 are required to wear masks. This is a condition of entry.
- We will be limiting the number of people in the Cathedral in accordance with current Public Health Orders and ensuring appropriate physical distancing at all times.
- Hand sanitiser will be available.
- To minimise unnecessary contact, we will be distributing a digital program book, available in advance.
