Handel's Messiah

Well, I've been anticipating this performance of Handel's Messiah since August, when my friend gave me his ticket that he couldn't use. I've planned today down to the hour (people who know me -- not surprising) .... BUT by a major miscalculation, thought I would be able to take an hour-and-half nap. In fact, I only had 30 minutes. So when I woke up at 5:35 p.m. for the 7 p.m. concert, I was like, HOOOOOOLY SH*T. I planned to be out the door by 6 p.m. to catch the Tube on Hammersmith and City because other than District (stupid District), it takes the longest. And it tends to stop in the middle of the tracks for no apparent reason. Guess what happened on the way to Barbican Hall. Yeah. Anyway, I literally got ready in 35 minutes, about half the time it usually takes for me to properly get ready, and was out the door at 6:10 and got to the Mile End station at 6:16.

I run in my 3 1/2-inch stilettos, up the stairs, across the longest highwalk in the world (seems like), down the stairs, through the door, just in time to get a bottle of water and to get to wait for the change, and to hear the announcer say the show is starting in 5 minutes. Wow.

The concert was AWESOME. They had to replace the alto with a male alto (counter-tenor, the program said, but his bio said he was a male alto .... don't know) because of an illness, but apparently the replacement Michael Chase (???) is the best in his voice group (but how many male altos can there be?). Anyway, he wasn't very good. First, it was strange hearing a guy sing what you KNOW is the female alto part, even though it doesn't matter in the context of the lyrics. Plus, his voice didn't carry well; I could barely hear him over the orchestra, and I was sitting in the stalls (orchestra seats in the U.S.), so I don't know how people in the dress circle and circle can hear at all.

The soprano Sally Matthews was pretty good, but not earth-shatteringly good. The tenor was also good, but his gesturing was a little annoying and overdone. I liked the baritone the best. He sang the bass part, but the program said he was a baritone. Anyway, his voice was amazing. Wow.

When the chorus sang the Hallelujah chorus, I got chills. I loved it. I've never heard the Messiah in its entirety, so this concert was just wonderful. Some people, though, either didn't know or didn't care, didn't stand for the Hallelujah chorus like Messiah tradition dictates they do. The story goes that when the Messiah debuted, the king was so moved by the end of the second part that he jumped up in his state of excitement, and because he was the king, the crowd had to do what he did, so they also stood. And people have been standing for the Hallelujah chorus ever since. But these people, again, either didn't know or didn't care. If the latter, they should've done it anyway. Sheesh. It's like clapping in between movements of a piece. You just don't do it.

We gave the orchestra, the chorus and the soloists four curtain calls, but it really wasn't good enough for the standing ovation, though some people did stand. I don't know. I've heard better orchestra concerts, but this one wasn't too shabby! :)