Saturday, November 15th at 7:30PM and Sunday, November 16th at 3:00PM the Billings Symphony Chorale will take the stage at the stunning St. Patrick Co-Cathedral to present Choral Classics such as choruses from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, Johannes Brahms’ Love Song Waltzes, and other short works with rich choral history all under the direction of Dr. Steven Hart.
The inclusion of choruses from Messiah is not without thought, programed on the Chorale’s inaugural concert—as well as a Billings favorite since that first appearance—Dr. Steven Hart honors the 75th anniversary by presenting this beloved piece.
Handel began his reputation composing Italian opera but changed his stylings to English oratorio—a genre similar to opera, the main difference being that they are written after sacred works making them appropriate to perform in church—when public tastes changed. Messiah is commonly viewed as a Christmas work though the story itself follows the Christian Lent and Easter tales. It is one of the most frequently performed choral works in Western music. For this concert, choice selections will be performed as the piece takes about 3 hours to perform in its entirety.
Other pieces include select movements of Johannes Brahms’ Love Song Waltzes, the lyrics come from Georg Friedrich Daumer’s Polydora, a collection of folk songs and love poems. Each poem comments on different aspects of true love; some touching, some humorous, some regretful. This season’s chorale performance will leave you feeling all the brilliance of the Billings Symphony’s 75th anniversary.
Choral Classics is scheduled for Saturday, November 15th at 7:30PM & Sunday, November 16th at 3:00PM, at St. Patrick Co-Cathedral. Doors open an hour before performances start. To purchase tickets, call 406-252-3610 or visit www.billingssymphony.org.
