Glacier Symphony and Chorale will celebrate a holiday tradition with Handel’s iconic work Messiah at two locations on Saturday, December 14 in Whitefish and Sunday, Dec. 15 in Kalispell.
The oratorio as written is over three hours in length, but the GSC will perform a shorter version that focuses on some of the Messiah’s best loved, magnificent choruses including “And the Glory of the Lord” and the majestic “Amen Chorus.” It will conclude with the popular “Hallelujah Chorus” considered to be one of the greatest sacred selections of the entire choral repertory.
The performance features the full Glacier Chorale and selected soloists with a smaller “Messiah” orchestra and will be conducted by John Zoltek, GSC Music Director. Zoltek comments that Messiah has become somewhat of a mainstay of the Christmas season, though it was actually written to celebrate the incarnation and resurrection of Christ and his ultimate glorification in heaven and was originally performed during the Easter season. Typically audiences stand during the Hallelujah Chorus, a tradition that has continued from King George II of England’s day. It is said that the King was so overwhelmed by emotion at a performance of Messiah that he rose to his feet during the Hallelujah chorus, therefore obligating his loyal subjects to do the same. The tradition continues to this day.
The Saturday, Dec. 14 performance will be held at 7:30 pm at Whitefish Performing Arts Center. A Sunday, Dec. 15 matinee performance will begin at 3:00 pm at Flathead High Performance Hall in Kalispell. Special ticket pricing is offered for these performances. All youth (through grade 12) tickets are $10. Adult and senior tickets are offered in a range of prices and seating tiers and groups of 10 or more can get a 20 percent discount.