Aspen Choral Society debuts Handel’s ‘Messiah’ at Harris Hall

The Aspen Choral Society (ACS) will present its 48th annual performance of the Baroque-era, English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, “Messiah,” on Friday through Sunday.

This year marks the first time ACS will perform “Messiah” at Aspen’s Harris Concert Hall. The performance in Aspen takes place on Friday night and will feature a dedicated volunteer choir of over 90 singers, one of the largest choirs in years.

Music Director Paul Dankers will lead the performance in his eleventh year directing “Messiah” for Aspen Choral Society, alongside Concertmaster MinTze Wu. Soloists include soprano Beth Noble (debut), mezzo-soprano Heidi Rovig, tenor Michael Schoepe, and bass-baritone David Parker.

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“I consider Harris Hall to be the Valley’s premiere concert hall — both aesthetically and acoustically. It is always an honor to perform in that space and ACS does not take that lightly,” said Dankers. “We have trained aggressively for this performance to take advantage of this rare opportunity. We especially want to do artistic justice to the three pieces by Gerald Cohen. We have our full orchestra led by the powerhouse, MinTze Wu. Our soloists are four of the best that ACS has ever fielded. This will be a defining performance for Aspen Choral Society in the very distinct Baroque style of Hansel’s legendary masterpiece.”

“Messiah,” originally compiled from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter by Charles Jennens, began as an Easter offering that debuted at Musick Hall in Dublin on April 13, 1742. Its themes have been described by the early music scholar Richard Luckett as “a commentary on (Jesus Christ’s) Nativity, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension” and is considered a “deeply spiritual” experience for both Christians and non-believers alike.

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Adding to the performance, the program will once again feature choral movements composed by New York-based composer Gerald Cohen, sung in Hebrew. This innovative addition has become a treasured part of the annual holiday tradition. In this age of sensitivity toward cultural appropriation, these additional movements are one way to acknowledge the historical roots of these texts and the culture from which they were taken.

Dankers is not surprised that “Messiah” has become a holiday staple for over 280 years and has been a local tradition for the past 48. He believes it’s endured because it’s a brilliantly written piece of music that is worth the investment for people who are willing to put the time in to get to know it.

He is proud that the piece has run uninterrupted for 48 years, even during COVID (virtually) and is always pushing to find new angles to explore in the choir’s performance of the piece. He acknowledged it’s a “difficult and tedious piece of music,” and that, for many musicians, it’s not their favorite piece to perform “over and over again,” and yet, every year, he manages to approach the performance with fresh eyes.

“Singing is a deeply vulnerable act,” Dankers continued in a prepared statement. “Criticism without compassion can stifle growth and discourage singers from exploring their full potential. But in a supportive, encouraging environment, voices bloom. Singers take chances, experiment, and grow not just as musicians but as individuals. This sense of safety and shared purpose is what sets our choir apart.”

The 17-person orchestra will once again be led by Concertmaster MinTze Wu, returning for her fourth season with ACS.  Wu had struggled from over-performing “Messiah” throughout her career and refused to play it for years, only returning to it when Dankers approached her and asked her to join the group.

“When MinTze joined as concertmaster, she introduced a refreshing new approach to our sound,” he said in a press release. “Previously, our style had a ‘Romantic’ flavor, which is rich, lush, and full of expressive, connected playing and strong vibrato. This style works well for certain pieces, but in Baroque music — like Handel’s ‘Messiah’ — it can make the sound feel a bit too heavy, almost muddy, making it hard to hear the fine details. Under MinTze’s leadership, our orchestra has developed a brighter, more authentic Baroque sound — one that honors the intricacy and spirit of ‘Messiah.'”

Wu, an accomplished violinist, is originally from Taiwan but has lived in the United States for 30 years. She participated in a program at The Julliard School before college and has degrees from the Cincinnati College Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music. She doesn’t remember a time in her life without music.

“I’m a violinist, but I started piano when I was 3, so it was my first language. And, my second language will be Mandarin, and English will be my third, but music was really my first language. I knew how to read sheet music before I could read,” she said.

She first came to Aspen when she was still in high school in 1996 as a student of the Aspen Music Festival summer program and has been drawn back ever since. Before her initial visit, all she knew were the urban environments of Taipei and New York City. She said she was blown away by the beauty of the mountains surrounding this valley and the quality of the music program.

“Each year, we come back to the tradition with new excitement of creating the delightful, lilting, and true to the period sound,” she continued. “The music of ‘Messiah’ is all about joy. Aspen Choral Society, with the orchestra and the choir under the baton of Paul Dankers, aspires to experience that joy through our instruments and voices and transmit that same joy to the audience.”

Tickets for the 48th annual presentation of Handel’s “Messiah” at Harris Hall are on sale at aspenchoralsociety.org.

The Aspen Choral Society is a volunteer organization dedicated to choral singing. They welcome new singers and returning members. Information on joining the spring 2025 concert series is available from Choir Manager Emma Leake (emma@aspenchoralsociety.org).

Sarah Girgis is the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Aspen Times. She can be reached at 970-429-9151 or sgirgis@aspentimes.com.