Handel's Messiah
Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Friday, December 22, 2023 at 7:30 pm
The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Halifax
Featuring Ivars Taurins, conductor
Myriam Leblanc, soprano
Nicholas Burns, countertenor
James Reese, tenor
Clarence Frazer, baritone
Joel Tranquilla, chorus master
The Symphony Nova Scotia Chorus, with the Halifax Camerata Singers
Symphony Nova Scotia
On the program
| George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Messiah PART THE FIRST Sinfonia Comfort ye my people – Tenor Recitative Ev'ry valley shall be exalted – Tenor Air And the glory of the Lord – Chorus Thus saith the Lord – Bass Recitative But who may abide the day of his coming? – Alto Aria And he shall purify – Chorus Behold, a virgin shall conceive – Alto Recitative O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion – Alto Air and Chorus For behold, darkness shall cover the earth – Bass Recitative The people that walked in darkness – Bass Air For unto us a child is born – Chorus Pifa There were shepherds abiding in the field – Soprano Recitative But lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them – Soprano Recitative And the angel said unto them – Soprano Recitative And suddenly there was with the angel – Soprano Recitative Glory to God – Chorus Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion – Soprano Air Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened – Alto Recitative He shall feed his flock/Come unto him – Alto and Soprano Duet His yoke is easy, and his burthen is light – Chorus |
| INTERMISSION: 20 MINUTES |
| PART THE SECOND Behold the Lamb of God – Chorus He was despised – Alto Air Surely he hath borne our griefs – Chorus And with his stripes we are healed – Chorus All we like sheep have gone astray – Chorus All they that see him laugh him to scorn – Tenor Recitative He trusted in God – Chorus Thy rebuke hath broken his heart – Soprano Recitative Behold, and see if there be any sorrow – Soprano Air He was cut off out of the land of the living – Tenor Recitative But thou didst not leave his soul in hell – Tenor Air Lift up your heads, O ye gates – Chorus How beautiful are the feet – Alto Air Why do the nations so furiously rage together? – Bass Air Let us break their bonds asunder – Chorus He that dwelleth in heaven – Tenor Recitative Thou shalt break them – Tenor Aria Hallelujah – Chorus |
| PAUSE |
| PART THE THIRD I know that my redeemer liveth – Soprano Air Since by man came death – Chorus Behold I tell you a mystery – Bass Recitative The trumpet shall sound – Bass Air Worthy is the lamb that was slain – Chorus Amen – Chorus |
Continuo: Rachel DeSoer, cello; Marie Bouchard, harpsichord; Garth MacPhee, organ.
Additional players: Carrie VanSlyke, viola; Thaddeus Morden, (acting Assistant Principal), cello; Suzanne Lemieux, oboe; Julie Cuming (acting Principal), horn.
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