The 165-voice chorus accompanied by chamber orchestra will be joined by soloists: Anne DeVries, soprano; Janet Carlsen Campbell, mezzo-soprano; Paul Koenig, tenor; and Terry Hodges, bass. The performance will be conducted by artistic director, Edward B. Hurd.
To make the event accessible to every segment of the community, the performance is ASL interpreted for persons with deafness and Audio Described for audience members who have blindness. To remove language barriers, stage and lobby announcements, and the printed program will be in both English and Spanish; "Messiah" will be sung in its original English language.
Major funding for this performance of "Messiah" has been provided by Nebraska Arts Council/Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Whitmore Charitable Trust, Giger Foundation, St. John Lutheran Foundation, and the chorus membership. A voluntary offering will be taken to assist with remaining expenses.
"For the past 271 years, Handel's 'Messiah' has been one of the most popular works in all of Western choral literature," said artistic director Edward Hurd. "The music is so moving and the texts are so compelling, this oratorio deserves its place in our musical heritage; 'Messiah' has proven to be a lasting masterpiece for the ages with a message for the entire human race!"
