It has finally snowed in Toronto. And though understated, my bedroom view of rolling hills of decrepit foliage is revived by an unadulterated blanket of white. The coffee beans are freshly roasted; green/red/white salads are served. Unfortunately, there are no Christmas trees or presents underneath. But that is a more a function of laziness and senility than a Grinch-like mentality.
Caprese Salad: balsamic reduction, fior di latte, basil, arugula, tomatos
And nothing says Christmas more than Handel’s Messiah. It is an oratorio that pays tribute to Jesus’ birth (Part I) and death (Part II) and preaches in true Christian fashion (Part III). But a non-Christian can appreciate the message of hope and despair, the incredibly dumb yet uplifting libretto that repeats phrases (or words) like scripture and the long-held melismas by out-of-breath singers. It is a grandiose and mesmerizing experience. I have seen it every year since grade 7, except the last.
After missing it in 2011 (for sad and lonely reasons) I redoubled my efforts to see it in 2012. We went to a small-scale rendition dubbed “the Dublin Messiah,” an attempt to recreate the first showing in baroque Dublin. This was before the modern day 40-person orchestras and 100-person choirs were invented. In 1700 England, percussion was but a street show. The Dublin Messiah gave some parts back to their intended singers but the most noticeable alterations were “Rejoice Greatly” in 12/8 time and “How beautiful are the feet” as a duetto. I find that the 12/8 time gives this happy song a quicker pace and an almost playful quality. But the “B” in the tenary form is noticeably worse. There was also no standing during Hallelujah because the King wasn’t there in Dublin.
Another surprise was the uncanny appearance of a mezzo-soprano I had seen before (though I did not know where at the time). She was easily the best soloist of the four and carried herself with a majestic virtuosity that comes only with performing this part so many times. A search back home showed that she was the mezzo-soprano at Kingston Messiah in 2010, indeed the last time I saw this piece. To be remembered across a two-year gap says something of her talent. And she was almost as captivating when she silently sat with a knowing smile, clearly in love with the music and her co-performers.
The smaller chamber choir and chamber orchestra worked. It placed greater emphasis on each of the individual performers, like the three-to-four singers in the four choir parts. And where talent lacked, it was apparently. The lead trumpeter could not play the valve-less Baroque instrument and was able to singlehandedly ruin The Trumpet Shall Sound, one of the triumphs of the oratorio.
Christmas is coming. And one of our co-patrons at the theatre whispered of another Christmas day miracle: Les Misérables. Well this should be a fun and musical holidays indeed.