East Cork Choral Society Sings Handel’s Messiah

East Cork Choral Society celebrates its 40th anniversary with a performance of perhaps the greatest and best-known work in the oratorio repertoire: Handel’s Messiah.
We are honoured that they will dedicate the performance to the memory of Mrs. Myrtle Allen.

The fifty singers will be accompanied by an orchestra of eight professional players and four talented young soloists. It is a wonderful opportunity to hear this Christmas favourite and its powerful ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ in the acoustically superb Ballymaloe Grainstore.

The first performance of Handel’s Messiah was in Dublin in 1742, where it was deemed ‘too operatic’ to be presented in a cathedral and was relegated to a music theatre. So it is appropriate to bring the performance to the atmospheric Grainstore.

Forty years ago, four keen singers from Cloyne were tired of travelling weekly to Cork to rehearse with a suitable choir. They decided to form a new choir in the Midleton area. The response was overwhelming and East Cork Choral Society with 80 local singers performed Haydn’s Creation in the Midleton Community Centre in May 1979, with full orchestra and professional singers under the baton of Andrew Padmore.

The choir has gone from strength to strength with an impressive list of major works performed in many venues, locally, in Cork City, and wider afield. Colin Nicholls has served as the musical director since 1984.

Tickets: €25.

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