Messiah delivered with decisive energy, enthusiasm

Handel's Messiah
29 November 2025, Dunedin Town Hall

A good-sized audience revelled in the popular evergreen Messiah in the Dunedin Town Hall on Saturday night.

Conductors bring something new to these oft-repeated works each performance, and conductor David Burchell’s opening tempi in the overture were brisk and rhythmically concise. This decisive energy flowed throughout the work.

The Dunedin Symphony Orchestra responded with clarity of melodic lines and astute imitative entries, whether it was accompanying recitative, aria or chorus. The continuo work of Heleen du Plessis (cello), Micah Xiang (organ) and Burchell at the harpsichord was unobtrusively essential.

The 95-voice City Choir Dunedin was in good form, the result of well-disciplined training by Burchell. The choir sang with enthusiasm and confidence. The forte singing in choruses was assured, but softer passages lacked this assurance. Varied dynamics were a feature and made for some rousing moments.

Three choruses sung from memory were exemplary and choristers’ heads raised watching Burchell allowed the choral sound to travel more effortlessly. Diction, especially the lack of final consonants, was a concern.

Soloists were uniformly excellent. Mezzo-soprano Tessa Romano is to be congratulated for stepping in as the alto soloist with only a few hours’ notice. Romano’s arias were sung stylishly. He Was Despised was delivered with passionate diction.

Tenor Jordan Fuimaono’s tone is warm, mellow and even. The formidable aria Thou Shalt Break Them was effortlessly sung. Bass David Greco sang with immaculate mastery of Handelian runs, excellent breath management and dramatic textural colouring. Ralph Miller’s stellar trumpet obbligato in The Trumpet Shall Sound added to the impact of that aria.

Joanna Foote’s soprano was clear, strong, with a silvery focus at the top. The importance of the aria I Know That My Redeemer Liveth was revealed through enticing, lustrous tone throughout her range.

Bravo to all performers.

Review by Judy Bellingham, Otago Daily Times 1 December 2025