Elgin Choral Union sings Handel’s ‘Messiah’

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Updated: December 16, 2011 12:58PM

When the Elgin Choral Union performed Handel’s “Messiah” for the first time several years ago, not only was it standing room only, but they had to put 70 chairs on stage with them.

Under the direction of Maestro Andrew Lewis, the Elgin Choral Union is staging two performances of “Messiah,” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Blizzard Theatre, located in the Elgin Community College Arts Center.

The 100-member strong community choir will be accompanied by members of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and four soloists: Megan Bell, Lindsey Adams, Trevor Mitchell and Eric Miranda.

After selling out (and then some) the last time they performed it, the group took a few years off to explore other repertory. They decided the time was right to revisit the hugely popular piece, Lewis said.

“It’s a fun piece and the choir knows it well, and they’re incredibly excited to be doing it again,” he said. “It’s some of the greatest music ever written.”

Handel composed “Messiah” as an oratorio in 1741, with text from Charles Jennens.

“Jennens approached Handel with this project and wanted Handel to write the music for it,” Lewis said. “After accepting this project, Handel wrote the entire ‘Messiah,’ which is more than two hours of music, in just the space of a couple of weeks. It shows Handel’s extreme facility for music. He really was a genius.”

It was first performed in Dublin on April 13, 1742. After a rather poor reception in London, Handel revived it the following year and it became popular, the said.

“Many of the performances — the proceeds of the tickets sales went to help foundling hospitals … or homes for homeless children,” he said. “It had a sort of philanthropic bent nearly from the beginning.”

“Messiah” is divided into three parts. The first part is about the birth of Jesus Christ, the second two parts are about the Passion and the resurrection of Christ.

“During Handel’s day, it wasn’t considered a Christmas piece. It was done around Easter time,” he said. “But in this country, and in Britain to some extent, because of the first part, it has been associated more with Christmas.”

He is using a cast of soloists he’s very excited about. Three are new to Elgin audiences; baritone Eric Miranda has performed with ECU several times. Soprano Megan Bell is a resident of Elgin, and Lewis met alto Lindsey Adams through his work with Bella Voce choir in Chicago.

Tenor Trevor Mitchell, he said, has “a light, clean tenor sound that will be perfect for the opening vocal piece.”

There will be about 100 singers performing with ECU, backed by Elgin Symphony Orchestra.

“This is a real Elgin production, and we’re really proud of that,” he said. The Elgin Symphony Orchestra will have about 22 players, which is “more in line with Baroque performance practice,” Lewis said.

“It’s going to be a good-sized chamber orchestra. They’re a fantastic group of players. We’re really looking forward to singing with them,” he said. “The music itself is a master work. It is so lively and energetic and moving. It has a very powerful, emotional arc that’s just gripping. Handel’s ‘Messiah’ is some of the greatest music ever written, and also the most popular piece of the classical canon ever written, Lewis said.

“More people go to hear ‘Messiah’ more than any other piece,” he said. “We are putting together a stellar performance. The Elgin Choral Union …. really know this music. They have excelled at singing this music. They’re having a lot of fun with it and that will absolutely carry over to the audience. This is going to be an engaging, exciting performance. It’s going to be a great experience for the audience.”