For two nights only, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra (CSO) brings Handel’s iconic Messiah to the stage of ANU’s Llewellyn Hall. Joining CSO is a handful of acclaimed musical artists including Soprano, Chloe Lankshear, and Countertenor, Tobias Cole.
Messiah takes the listener on one of the greatest stories ever told: the birth, trial, death, passion, resurrection and revelation of Jesus Christ. While the oratorio is commonly performed during the festive season, it was originally conceived as a work for Easter and premiered during Lent.
However, Countertenor Tobias Cole believes the work is still relevant now and doesn’t appeal to only Christian audiences. People from all faiths and walks of life can find something to connect with, a way to relate, especially during the tumultuous times we have been going through of late.
“Handel wrote his work in very turbulent times back then as we are in now; there will be nuances that people will lock into,” Cole said.
George Frederic Handel’s masterpiece has been in near constant circulation since its premiere in 1742, for which women were asked to avoid wearing dresses with hoops, to make room for bigger audiences. It incorporates quotations from the Bible scriptures as it takes you through the major lifts and minor falls of Jesus’ life.
The arias, solos and choruses tell tales from the Bible but also highlight moments and feelings that are almost universal, such as the want to change our lives for the better but not wanting to put in the hard work to do it, as in But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming, which is also Cole’s opening aria.
“We want someone new to come to us and fix our problems, but when they turn to us and tell us our problems are within ourselves, we don’t like what they’re saying; you wish the problems were external and could be fixed elsewhere, that’s the power of that aria.”
Cole also created the CSO Messiah Choir for the performance, a group which brings together vocalists from the ANU Chamber Choir and guests from community choirs. He described the process as one of “wonderful discovery”. His vision for the choir and the performance is to bring beauty back to our lives, something which is easy to forget in trying times. The famous Hallelujah Chorus promises to be rich and awe-inspiring.
“I want them to be transported away from ridiculous pedantic worry affecting all of us, a chance to remember the essentials of humanity, universal themes and just have their ears caressed by beauty. It’s something we don’t get enough of today and it’s so essential that people are reminded what beauty is.”
Handel’s works are challenging for many vocal performers, according to Cole; they require an agility in the voice and the ability to throw notes without any warning or warming up. Many of Handel’s works are unpredictable in nature, creating a high sense of suspense and, at the point of resolution, offering up only more tension.
“The audience is taken on a sudden detour and there’s no anticipation of it; you have to know they’re coming up and you have to prepare in as good a way as possible and give it to the audience as something significant.”
The powerful rendition of He Was Despised showcases Handel’s mastery of his craft; the Alto solo takes the audiences to the depths of what it is like to be an individual outcast from society for standing up for their beliefs. The power he feels in turning his back on those who abuse and criticise him, the sombre moment is written to begin in an uncharacteristic upbeat major key adjusting throughout the solo, inviting listeners to really take the time to think about what the character is experiencing.
One of the other pieces Cole is excited to bring to the stage is a duet that is often cut from the oratorio, O Death, Where Is Thy Sting, which he will perform with Andrew Goodwin. He said the piece is basically saying sin is the sting of death and the need to clean up your house before you die.
According to Cole, it’s impossible to pinpoint why this work is still so popular nearly 300 years after it first appeared. He believes the music transcends the listener and helps them feel part of something greater than themselves.
“We are connected in ways we can never understand. I think Handel was provoked to write something quite extraordinary. It’s lasted because it resonates with people, with humanity, with our need to value higher things other than reason and rationality.”
The Canberra Symphony Orchestra performs Handel’s masterpiece, Messiah, 8-9 July at Llewellyn Hall; cso.org.au
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