The 80 strong Marches Choir of Bishop’s Castle, joining with Cantorion Aberteifi from Cardigan, West Wales, will present Handel’s Messiah, a belated anniversary celebration of the choir’s inaugural performance of the work as part of Millennium festivities. The choir will be well-supported by an impressive line-up of talented musicians and singers. The professional orchestra is led by David Gregory, an experienced violinist who for many years was a member of the CBSO.  Professional soloists have been engaged to sing the wonderful solos which are interspersed between the choruses. 

Composed in the summer of 1741 and premiered 280 years ago in Dublin on 13th April 1742, Messiah is undoubtedly one of the great musical masterpieces of all time. Composed in only 24 days, it is the work of a genius which holds an extraordinary place both among the composer's works and in the history of music. No other work of its time has seen a continuous sequence of performances from 1742 to the present day.

Part of the enduring appeal of Messiah is not least the huge part played by the chorus, with wonderful high-points such as ‘For unto us a Child is born’, ‘Hallelujah’, ‘He trusted in God’ and ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain’, all of which engage us in a great narrative, and weave seamlessly through the work, revealing the bible’s foretelling of Christ’s coming, his birth, life and, ultimately, his death. It’s a story which continues to enthral us, especially when enhanced by Handel’s evocative and inspirational music.

The choir’s Musical Director, in his eighth year, is Alistair Auld, who says “The choir performed a memorable Mozart Requiem back in April this year to a capacity audience in the beautiful St John's Church, and this concert is sure to deliver an equal punch. The sheer scale of Messiah and the colossal impact of the music has enthralled audiences for over a quarter of a Millennium and continues to do so to this day.  The evening promises to be a most uplifting experience for performers and audience alike!”.