Messiah 2008

The Royal Choral Society’s performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall forms an important part of Great Britain’s choral tradition. For over 125 years, the RCS has given the Good Friday performance of the world’s favourite sacred work in London’s greatest concert venue.

The choir performed Messiah in its very first season – 1873/4, but it was in 1878, with 1,000 singers under the baton of Joseph Barnby, that the Easter tradition was established. It is thought that the Royal Choral Society has sung the work more than any other choir – something over 265 times. There have also been a number of recordings, most recently in 1994 with the RPO conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.

From the earliest days, the finest orchestras, conductors and soloists have joined the RCS on Good Friday. Recent soloists read like a ‘roll-call’ of the world’s leading singers. They have included Kathleen Ferrier, Peter Pears, Owen Brannigan, Webster Booth, Jon Vickers, Janet Baker, Robert Tear, Benjamin Luxon, Felicity Palmer, Thomas Allen, Kiri Te Kanawa, Susan Bullock, Michael Chance, Willard White, Lesley Garrett and many more. We continue this great tradition at the Royal Albert Hall next Good Friday, March 21st 2008 .

Prices from £14.00 to £34.00. Special offer for stalls and box seats via RCS office only. For other ticket information please contact the Royal Albert Hall Box Office on 020 7589 8212

If you are interested in advertising in our programme please contact Virginia Edwyn-Jones at the RCS office on 020 7376 3718

If you would like to audition to join the RCS and sing in this concert, why not come to our Open Rehearsal

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MESSIAH 2008

messiah image

Handel: Messiah - 130th Anniversary of Good Friday Performance
Good Friday March 21st 2008 at 2.30 pm

Venue: Royal Albert Hall
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor: Richard Cooke
Soprano: Ditte Hogaard Andersen
Mezzo-soprano: Wendy Dawn Thompson
Tenor: Benjamin Hulett
Bass-baritone: Grant Doyle

RCS Box Office – 05601 534990

MORE CONCERTS

Next Open Rehearsal is scheduled for Monday March 31st at 18:30. Venue is City of London School for Girls, Main Hall – please go to www.clsg.org.uk and click on Location for details on how to get there. We will be rehearsing Mozart’s Mass in C Minor. Please email virginia@royalchoralsociety.co.uk if you would like to book a place, giving your full name, voice part and whether you need to borrow a copy of the score.