The 35th Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Concert
Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra present Handel’s Messiah for the world record 238th time since 1853. The world’s most-loved oratorio, famous for its sparkling arias, powerful choruses and surging climaxes including the magnificent Hallelujah! Chorus and the equally thrilling Amen! Chorus which concludes the work. Featuring over 100 talented musicians from the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, the grand Town Hall organ, and an exceptional cast of outstanding Australasian soloists, this concert promises to thrill as ever under the direction of Andrew Wailes – widely regarded as one of Australia’s foremost exponents of this great work.
Much loved Melbourne soloists Jacqueline Porter and Dimity Shepherd are joined by the brilliant young New Zealand tenor Jonathan Abernethy, and Australian/Danish baritone Morgan Pearse who is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting young singers, having recently appeared with ensembles such as English National Opera, Moscow Philharmonic, English Chamber Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Filharmonisch at the Concertgebouw, the Choir of Kings’ College Cambridge, Opera New Zealand, and the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music.
“Wailes made sure that the pace did not slacken… Wailes, who cuts a dapper, self-possesed figure on the podium, showed an impressive compulsion, driving his forces along with insistent power. It is hard to recall when this oratorio has been treated with such attention given to its dramatic potential; no singer – soloist or chorister – was given latitude to generate that fruity and orotund timbre familiar from performances of 20 years ago.” Clive O’Connell (The Age)
ONLINE BOOKINGS: www.rmp.org.au
