Handel’s holiday favorite, The Messiah, returns to southern Delaware featuring one of Sussex County’s oldest performing ensembles - and one of its newest.
The Southern Delaware Chorale’s origin story begins with The Messiah, when a recent arrival to Sussex County found there were no performances of the masterwork in Southern Delaware. She rounded up a group of friends, and the chorale was born, anchored by performances of The Messiah every holiday season.
This year, the chorale is teaming up with the Southern Delaware Orchestra - Sodelo.
“It's a great illustration of the power of community music and community arts in Southern Delaware," said Sodelo’s Board President, Steve Griefer.
Griefer adds performances like this are about creating happiness for both the performers and the audience.
“It's about bringing people together. It's about celebrating a common joy," he said. "The idea of people coming together and people celebrating together and raising their voices together is something that's universal.”
The Messiah, especially its "Hallelujah Chorus," is a familiar part of our holiday soundscape. But, Griefer says, hearing the work performed live is a different, more exciting experience compared to hearing it in a recording or on a TV commercial.
“And it's the power of the audience coming together with our groups that's going to make it such a magical performance," he says.
Sodelo and the Southern Delaware Chorale present The Messiah Saturday, December 13 at Cape Henlopen High School.
Delaware Public Media's arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
