Top Soloists to join York Minster Choir for Messiah
Handel’s Messiah, 14 December 2013
Some of the UK’s finest soloists will join the York Minster Choir this Saturday (14 December) for a special performance of Handel’s Messiah at the cathedral.
Sarah Fox, one of the finest sopranos in the country and judge in the current BBC series “Sing While You Work,” will be performing alongside internationally-renowned countertenor Iestyn Davies, tenor Andrew Kennedy, a former winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and bass, Ben Bevan.
“It is a joy to be coming to sing Handel's Messiah at York Minster. York is one of my favourite cities and the Minster is one of my favourite buildings anywhere in the world”, Sarah explained. “Yorkshire born and bred, it was always on our 'to do list' whenever we had visitors staying with us at home in Giggleswick, and now that I live in Harrogate, I have the happy excuse to visit more frequently than ever before. It is the first time I will have sung in the Minster and I'm looking-forward to seeing it packed out for what I know will be a wonderful concert.”
It is the first time in a number of years the York Minster Choir has performed Messiah in the awe-inspiring setting of York Minster’s Nave, but it is planned to become an annual feature in the Advent and Christmas programme, alongside the popular Christmas Carol Concerts.
“Our Christmas Carol Concerts are a staple of the York Minster festive programme, but for a while now, we’ve wanted the Minster Choir to perform Handel’s Messiah during Advent – we’ve had other guest choirs performing, but the work is especially beautiful with treble voices,” comments York Minster’s Director of Music, Robert Sharpe. “Working alongside renowned professional performers with global reputations, we are excited about this inaugural performance and hope the York Minster Choir’s rendition of Messiah will become another ‘must-see’ event in our calendar.”
The illustrious work was first performed in Dublin in 1742 and has since become one of the best-known and most popular English oratorios. York Minster’s 2013 version will be conducted by Robert Sharpe, accompanied by an orchestra of some of the best local musicians.
The concert takes place on Saturday 14 December at 7.00pm. Tickets are priced at £12-£25 and can be purchased online at www.yorkminster.org, by calling the Box Office on 01904 557208 or from the admissions desks within York Minster.
For more information, please visit www.yorkminster.org
ENDS
For further media information, please contact:
Jay Commins – Pyper York Limited
Tel: 01904 500698
Mob: 07810 546567
Email: jay@pyperyork.co.uk
