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Handel’s MessiahSaturday 6 December, 7.30 pmChristchurch Town HallAnna Leese - soprano • David Hansen - counter tenor
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The gradual ascension towards the Hallelujah Chorus of Handel’s Messiah is one of the most cherished experiences for the many people who attend the Christchurch City Choir’s annual concert at the beginning of December. The glorious burst of voices is also one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of choral music – and Music Director Brian Law said there is just no substitute for the thrill of hearing it in a live performance. “We perform it every year, and each year the different soloists add a new dimension,” Brian Law said. “But there is always the same sense of anticipation towards the end of Part Two, when the music grows and onstage I can sense the audience’s anticipation, and I can always feel their absolute enjoyment of the familiar Chorus and ofcourse the whole work which is a magnificent creation.”
“This is the very best concert to introduce choral music to young people or newcomers as it’s so melodic, short, and easy to enjoy. And around the world, people know and love this work.”
It’s a busy night onstage for Brian Law, as he directs the Choir and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, keeps in touch with the soloists and also plays the harpsichord. The Choir, which is made up of Christchurch people from all walks of life, will be joined by some of the high school 2008 Scholars.
This year the soloists are all highly regarded choral performers, who have international concert experience - the young soprano Anna Leese, the exciting counter tenor David Hansen, the ever-popular tenor David Hamilton and bass Richard Alexander, who has sung this part in Australia and Scandinavia.
Soprano Anna Leese is one of New Zealand’s emerging singing stars and whose career has blossomed since winning the 2002 Mobil Song Quest as a 21 year old Otago University student. That proved to be just the beginning of an admirable collection of international awards and prizes. Anna graduated from London’s Royal College of Music and joined the Benjamin Britten International Opera School, undertook recordings and many exciting concert engagements. She has sung in three operas at Covent Garden.In August Anna gave a brilliant recital at the James Hay Theatre, and her reputation as one of the country’s brightest international singers was further enhanced. Now Christchurch audiences can enjoy hearing Anna sing as the soprano soloist in Handel’s magnificent Messiah.
Tenor David Hamilton is returning to sing with the Choir again. He was last here for Dream of Gerontius in September and has sung with the Choir many times. He is now one of Australia’s most popular and experienced singers, critically acclaimed for his lovely high voice, masterly technique, his subtlety and intensity in performance and he’s considered the best Mozart tenor in Australia. He was born in Scotland where he studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama; he made his Glasgow debut singing Mozart’s Requiem with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and moved to Sydney in 1979. He is a regular soloist with all the major festivals, orchestras and choral organisations in Australasia and has a repertoire encompassing an extraordinarily wide range of classical and modern works.
Regular concert goers will welcome back exciting young counter tenor David Hansen (27), now Chicago-based. He has performed many concerts in Australia and made his European debut in 2004 in Aix-en-Provence where he performed the role of Spirit in Purcell's Dido & Aeneas. He has since made his UK debut performing a series of concerts with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Emmanuelle Haim, and has sung at several European festivals and concerts. He has made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Sir Simon Rattle in Carmina Burana (which he has also sung in Christchurch), has sung the title-role of Solomon with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Rene Jacobs on tour in Paris, London and New York.
His first recording of Purcell Odes with Stephen Cleobury has been released on EMI Classics.
English-born Richard Alexander studied at the Queensland Conservatorium and at Trinity College, London. He was a Young Artist with Opera Queensland (1991), for whom he sang Leporello (Don Giovanni), and with Opera Australia (1993/94). He won several prestigious awards and scholarships including the 1998 Vienna State Opera Award following which he made his debut at the Wiener Staatsoper as Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro.
He has performed more than 20 roles with Opera Australia including the 2006 title role in The Marriage of Figaro. His concert appearances have included a tour of Handel’s Messiah with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Stockholm Bach Choir. He has sung many of the great choral works, such Bach’s St. Matthew Passion,St. John Passion and Magnificat, Haydn’s Nelson Mass Mozart’s Requiem.