Nov. 21, 2016
Contact Brett Robison at 608-796-3771 or bprobison@viterbo.edu
VITERBO UNIVERSITY TO PRESENT THE TIMELESS CHRISTMAS CLASSIC HANDEL’S MESSIAH DEC. 3–4
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Concert Choir, a Community Chorus comprised of alumni, employees, and La Crosse community members, and an orchestra of local musicians will present George Frideric Handel’s Messiah at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.
Audience members will be instilled with the Christmas spirit as Messiah beautifully tells the story of the prophecies and the Nativity. Messiah is the most beloved and recognizable of Handel’s oratorios and is the most frequently performed piece of music in the English language. It was first performed in Dublin in 1742.
“It is our goal to make this as authentically Baroque as possible, by taking into account recent research in regard to instruments and phrasing during this period of music,” said Brett Robison, Viterbo music faculty member and director of the Viterbo Concert Choir. “Everyone will recognize many parts of the music, but it is my hope that our performance might open your ears to particular words and phrases that may not have grabbed your attention before.”
The concert will include Messiah’s Part I, or the Christmas portion, and the familiar Hallelujah Chorus from Part II. The solos will be performed by the outstanding singers of the Viterbo music department. Including community members in the performance fits very well with Viterbo’s core values of hospitality and service, Robison said.
“We thought this would be an excellent opportunity to invite the participation of community members and alumni who would enjoy the opportunity to perform Handel’s masterwork,” Robison said.
This performance is part of Viterbo’s Bright Star Season and is sponsored by Gundersen Health System. WXOW TV-19 is the media sponsor.
Tickets are $18 for main floor, $15 for lower balcony, and $12 for upper balcony seating. A pre-performance discussion will be held from 6:30–7 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Fine Arts Center Dance Studio. For more information or to order tickets, contact the Viterbo box office at 608-796-3100 or visit www.viterbo.edu/tickets.
-30-