Messiah

 "The jewel in Wild Arts’ crown. A supple, energetic interpretation that thrillingly delivers the story as if the performers have just discovered it... Exquisite, moving, and exuberant."
The Arts Desk

One of the most beloved choral works ever written, Messiah has captivated audiences for nearly three centuries with its glorious choruses, radiant arias and moving storytelling. From the joyful "For Unto Us a Child Is Born" to the triumphant "Hallelujah Chorus", Handel's music combines breathtaking beauty with extraordinary emotional power.

Eight exceptional singers perform the entire work from memory with staging devised by acclaimed theatre and opera director Tom Morris (Breaking the Waves, Dr Semmelweis, War Horse). With singers moving around venues and amongst the audience, the production strips away the barriers between performers and audience, allowing the drama of Handel's masterpiece to emerge with remarkable immediacy.

Accompanied by the musicians of the Wild Arts Ensemble on period instruments and directed from the harpsichord by Wild Arts' Artistic Director Orlando Jopling, this compelling production has earned standing ovations across the country. Combining world-class musicianship with vivid storytelling, it offers a fresh perspective on one of the greatest works in the choral repertoire, whether you know the work well, or are discovering it for the first time.

"Riveting and dramatic... The musical direction from the harpsichord by Orlando Jopling is fastidiously authentic — his excellent minimum-forces band of period instrumentalists embellish their lines and phrase beguilingly throughout."
Richard Morrison, The Times

"Scaled down to the minimum, with soloists doubling as their own chorus and a tiny orchestra led from a chamber organ by Orlando Jopling, [Wild Arts' Messiah] delivered a paradoxically massive punch – enlarged by elements of theatre that had been programmed in by stage director Tom Morris. I’ve seen many a Messiah in my time but few as powerfully engaging as this little show which held me in its grip from start to finish."

Michael White, Catholic Herald

"A compelling and wonderfully engaged performance with a vivid sense of drama. I was carried away. The dramatic narrative that the eight singers brought to the music, reacting to events, was palpable, with the instrumental ensemble as powerfully alert as the singers."

Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill