Annual Messiah performances to be held in Bigfork
By DAVID REESE
Bigfork Eagle
The trumpets will sound and voices will sing as the Glacier Symphony and Chorale will perform George Frideric Handel’s iconic choral work “Messiah” in Bigfork Decv. 11.
Messiah will be performed at three venues in Flathead Valley over the weekend of Dec. 11-13.
Music Director of the GSC, John Zoltek, will lead the Glacier Chorale and a small chamber orchestra in a selection of choruses from this inspiring work.
Zoltek says Messiah has become somewhat of a mainstay of the Christmas season, though it was actually originally written to be performed during the Easter season to celebrate the incarnation and resurrection of Christ and his ultimate glorification in heaven. The GSC will perform a shorter “Christmas portion” of the popular piece that focuses on some of Messiah’s best loved, magnificent choruses including “And the Glory of the Lord” and the majestic “He Shall Purify.” It will conclude with the popular “Halleluiah Chorus” considered to be one of the greatest sacred selections of the entire choral repertory. Performing the solo sections of the Messiah will be singers from the Glacier Chorale. They include soprano Katie Christensen, alto Kari Donovan, tenor Josh Holloway and Brad Seaman, bass.
Handel completed the score for Messiah in a flash of what he called divine inspiration in just over two weeks. The oratorio is defined as a dramatic narrative work for orchestra soloists and chorus. “Because of Handel’s opera experience he was able to meld perfect dramatic quality into this his greatest oratorio and work,” comments Zoltek. “It is astounding that this work has held large popularity for nearly 300 years! This is unprecedented in music history.”
The Friday, Dec. 11, concert will be held at St. John Paul II Catholic Church, 195 Coverdell Road in Bigfork, at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Dec. 12, the Messiah moves to Whitefish Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 13 a matinee performance begins at 3 p.m. at Flathead High School Performance Hall in Kalispell.
Tickets are available in a range of seating pricing at each venue. Buy online at www.gscmusic.org or call the GSC box office at 407-7000. No free youth tickets will be available for this concert but youth tickets are only $5.
The performances are supported by: Daily Inter Lake, Glacier Bank, Grouse Mountain Lodge/GPI and Snappy Sport Senter. Additional support is provided by LC Staffing/Loyal Care, Northern Rockies Anesthesia Consultants.