Messiah worthwhile effort

As a member of the audience, instead of the choir, for the first time for this event, I would like to say how much I agreed with the sentiments of the reviewer. However I knew of course that the performance would be world class. I think the performance was better than ever and the choral work without music was very effective and the effort put into this by members of the choir very worthwhile.

I am back in Dunedin now, as you know, and I would like to catch up with old friends and also to sing in the proms 2010.

[Janice Royds responding to the review of the Messiah performance on 8 December, by Glenn Linde on dunedinmusic.com]

Magnificent performance

I have been singing the Messiah since 1967, and just wanted to report that my husband of 37 years, who has been to every Messiah I have sung over the duration of our marriage (what staying power!!) found the performance magnificent - he even used the word 'riveting'!!!

Cheers Loraine

Praise for Messiah

Overheard in the audience: "This is the best performance of Messiah I've heard in 40 years!"

Seen on dunedinmusic.com: http://dunedinmusic.com/reviews/136


Tuesday 8 December 2009: Concert Review: Messiah
Mighty work gets mighty rendition

Last evening in the Dunedin Town Hall, the City of Dunedin Choir and Southern Sinfonia with four guest soloists presented the full work, with all the magnitude and passion this work deserves.

In his fifth time presenting Messiah in Dunedin, David Burchell conducted from the harpsichord, and the orchestra and choir responded with expressive shaping and shading.

From the audience, I followed from my family's 100-year-old well-worn score, pondering over the freshness in interpretation at each hearing.

This performance featured a lightness and brilliance overall, while never losing substance.

(Extract from the review by Elizabeth Bouman in the Otago Daily Times of 9 December 2009.)