Dec. 9, 10 & 11, 2022
Handel’s Messiah
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The glorious holiday tradition of Handel’s Messiah returns! The Houston Symphony, chorus, and guest soloists fill Jones Hall with joyous refrains and exultant arias, including the iconic “Hallelujah” Chorus, in this moving and powerful presentation of the greatest story ever told.
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RUN TIME: 2 hours, 30 minutes {|with_image|:[{|type|:|custom|,|name|:|Matthew Halls|,|bio|:|Mathew Halls was named chief conductor-designate of Finland\u2019s Tampere Philharmonic in September 2022. He returned to Tampere this autumn to conduct Bruckner\u2019s Seventh Symphony, before debuting with the Orchestre de chambre de Paris and Minnesota Orchestra, and continuing long-standing partnerships with the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Houston Symphony, and Indianapolis Symphony.\u00a0\nMatthew regularly guest conducts the Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Iceland Symphony, Wiener Symphoniker, Finnish Radio Symphony, Dallas Symphony, and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, among others. Recent highlights include Mahler\u2019s Resurrection Symphony with the Toronto Symphony, the U.S. premiere of James MacMillan\u2019s Fourth Symphony with Pittsburgh Symphony (Matthew previously conducted the world premiere of MacMillan\u2019s European Requiem), and his Chicago Symphony debut.\u00a0\nWith a background in period-performance, Matthew was one of the first to guest conduct Nikolaus Harnoncourt\u2019s Concentus Musicus Wien. His discography includes Bach\u2019s Harpsichord Concertos directed from the keyboard, the premiere recording of Handel\u2019s Parnasso in Festa (which won the Stanley Sadie Handel prize) and Bach\u2019s Easter and Ascension Oratorios. In the theatre, his operatic credits range from Handel\u2019s Ariodante to Puccini\u2019s Madama Butterfly.\u00a0\n \n|,|title|:|conductor |,|small_image|:| \n |,|bio_image|:| \n |,|full_image|:| \n |},{|type|:|custom|,|name|:|Karina Gauvin|,|bio|:|Recognized for her work in the Baroque repertoire, Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin sings Mahler, Britten, and the music of the late 20th and 21st centuries with equal success. She has received prestigious distinctions, including the title of Soloist of the Year awarded by the Communaut\u00e9 internationale des radios publiques de langue fran\u00e7aise, first prize in the CBC Radio competition for young performers, and the Virginia Parker Prize and Maggie Teyte Memorial Prize in London. Her 2022-23 season includes performances with the Houston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Quebec Symphony, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and Les Violons du Roy.\u00a0\u00a0\nRecently, Karina made appearances in the United States and Canada as soloist with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montr\u00e9al, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, Philadelphia Orchestra, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. She also toured widely in Europe, giving concerts and recitals in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and Britain, including a performance at Wigmore Hall.\u00a0\nShe has sung with the world\u2019s greatest symphony and baroque orchestras under the direction leading conductors and has enjoyed notable opera successes throughout Europe and the United States. In addition, she has sung in recital with pianists Marc-Andr\u00e9 Hamelin, Angela Hewitt, Michael McMahon, and Roger Vignoles.\u00a0\u00a0\nKarina performed Seleuce in Handel’s Tolomeo with Alan Curtis, with whom she recorded Handel operas on ARCHIV\/Deutsche Grammophon, Virgin, and Na\u00efve labels, among others. Her recorded performances with the Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra have earned her two nominations from the Grammy Awards.\u00a0\nKarina Gauvin has an extensive discography \u2013 more than 30 titles \u2013 and she has won numerous awards, including a Chamber Music America Award for F\u00eate Galante, with pianist Marc-Andr\u00e9 Hamelin, and several Opus Prizes. Other recording projects include a European tour and a recording of Handel\u2019s Ariodante for EMI Virgin Classics; a European tour and a recording of Giulio Cesare for the Na\u00efve House, both with Alan Curtis and Il Complesso Barocco; and Britten\u2019s Les Illuminations with Les Violons du Roy, under the direction of Jean-Marie Zeitouni. In addition, she has completed an album in honor of Anna Maria Strada del Po, with Alexander Weimann and the Arion Ensemble.\u00a0\n|,|title|:|soprano|,|small_image|:| \n |,|bio_image|:| \n |,|full_image|:| \n |},{|type|:|custom|,|name|:|Krisztina Szab\u00f3|,|bio|:|Hungarian-Canadian, mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szab\u00f3 is highly sought after in North America and Europe as an artist of supreme musicianship and stagecraft. She is known for her interpretation of Baroque music as well as her promotion and performance of contemporary Canadian works.\u00a0\u00a0\nKrisztina has performed with San Francisco Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, and Wexford Festival Opera. In 2018, she made her Royal Opera and Netherlands Opera d\u00e9buts in George Benjamin\u2019s new opera, Lessons in Love and Violence, the recording of which received a Grammy nomination for Best Opera Recording.\u00a0\nKrisztina\u2019s career has seen her on all the major opera and concert stages across Canada. She regularly performs with the Canadian Opera Company, Vancouver Opera, Tapestry Opera, Early Music Vancouver, and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.\u00a0\nShe has twice been nominated for Outstanding Performance by the Dora Awards, and performed in Kopernikus (Claude Vivier) with Against the Grain Theatre (Toronto), which won a Dora Award for Best Ensemble.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nHer discography includes New Jewish Music, Vol. 3 (Analekta), Ana Sokolovic – Sirens (Naxos), and Talisker Players Where Words and Music Meet (Centrediscs).\u00a0\u00a0\nDigital projects include Bart\u00f3k’s Bluebeard’s Castle (Judith) with Canadian Opera Company, Tafelmusik\u2019s The Voice of Vivaldi, Festival of the Sound\u2019s Arias and Antics, Wagner\u2019s Wesendonck Lieder with Vancouver Opera, An Italian Baroque Festive Celebration with Early Music Vancouver; recitals for the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and Behind the Keys with Vancouver Bach Choir; and Tapestry Opera\u2019s S.O.S. Sketch Opera Singers.\u00a0\nKrisztina is assistant professor of voice and opera at the University of British Columbia School of Music.\u00a0\u00a0\n|,|title|:|mezzo-soprano|,|small_image|:| \n |,|bio_image|:| \n |,|full_image|:| \n |},{|type|:|custom|,|name|:|Lawrence Wiliford|,|bio|:|Lauded for his luminous projection, lyrical sensitivity, and brilliant coloratura, American-Canadian tenor Lawrence Wiliford is in high demand in concert, opera, and recital repertoire. In 2021-22, he appeared in Beethoven\u2019s Symphony No. 9 with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; Mozart\u2019s Requiem with Calgary Philharmonic; and Britten\u2019s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, Opus 31 with Hamilton Philharmonic. In the 2022-23 season, he joins both the Houston Symphony and National Arts Centre Orchestra for Messiah, returns to Early Music Vancouver for selections by Heinrich Sch\u00fctz, and performs Bach\u2019s B Mass in B minor with the Grand Philharmonic Choir.\u00a0\nIn recent seasons, Lawrence performed Mozart\u2019s Requiem with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, and the Milwaukee Symphony; Messiah with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Tucson Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Naples Philharmonic, The Phoenix Symphony; and Vaughan Williams\u2019s Serenade to Music with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.\u00a0\nAdditional concert appearances of note include Handel\u2019s Messiah with the National Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony, and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; Bach\u2019s Mass in B minor with the Music of the Baroque, Louisiana Philharmonic, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orquesta Sinf\u00f3nica Naci\u00f3nal de Mexico, Oregon Bach Festival, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Vancouver Chamber Choir; St. Matthew Passion with the Calgary Philharmonic, Orchestre M\u00e9tropolitain, and Toronto Bach Consort; Mozart\u2019s Requiem with the Indianapolis Symphony, Tafelmusik, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra; Monteverdi\u2019s Vespers of 1610 at the Oregon Bach Festival; Bach\u2019s Christmas Oratorio and Haydn\u2019s Lord Nelson Mass with the National Arts Center Orchestra; and Beethoven\u2019s Mass in C major and Stravinsky\u2019s Pulcinella with the Houston Symphony.\u00a0\nLawrence holds a bachelor of music degree in church music from St. Olaf College, a master of music in vocal performance from the University of Toronto, and a master of arts in media production from Toronto Metropolitan University. He studied at Tanglewood, the Internationale Bachakademie of Stuttgart, the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival, and the Britten-Pears Young Artist Program. He is a graduate of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio.\u00a0\n|,|title|:|tenor|,|small_image|:| \n |,|bio_image|:| \n |,|full_image|:| \n |},{|type|:|custom|,|name|:|Tyler Duncan|,|bio|:|With a voice described as \u201choney-coloured and warm, yet robust and commanding\u201d (The Globe and Mail), baritone Tyler Duncan has performed worldwide to great acclaim in both opera and concert repertoire. Throughout his varied career, he has appeared with several of the world\u2019s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and the Kansas City Symphony.\u00a0\nTyler recently performed C.P.E. Bach\u2019s Magnificat with the Handel and Haydn Society, Beethoven\u2019s 9th Symphony with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bach\u2019s St. John and St. Matthew Passions with the Oregon Bach Festival, and Haydn\u2019s Creation with Music of the Baroque. In addition to these concerts in Houston, upcoming engagements include Handel\u2019s Messiah with the New Jersey Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, and Orchestra Nova Scotia; Apollo e Dafne and Bach\u2019s Ich habe genug with Arizona Early Music\u2019s Tucson Baroque Music Festival; Brahms\u2019s Requiem with Johnstown Symphony; and concerts with Bard Music Festival, Brooklyn Art Song Society, and Aspect Chamber Concerts. He returns to The Metropolitan Opera for its new production of Terence Blanchard\u2019s Champion.\u00a0\nPast concert engagements of note include Stravinsky\u2019s Canticum Sacrum with the San Francisco Symphony, Messiah with the New York Philharmonic and Ottoawa\u2019s National Arts Centre Orchestra, Mahler\u2019s 8th Symphony and Beethoven\u2019s 9th Symphony with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Bach\u2019s Weihnachtsoratorium with the Minnesota Orchestra, Beethoven\u2019s Mass in C with Kansas City Symphony, Schubert Lieder at the Wigmore Hall with pianist Graham Johnson, Bach\u2019s Ich habe genug with Les Violins du Roy, Mahler\u2019s Des Knaben Wunderhorn with Lviv Philharmonic, a selection of Bach Cantatas and Jeffery Ryan\u2019s Afghanistan Requiem with Calgary Philharmonic, Orff\u2019s Carmina Burana with Quebec and San Diego Symphonies, Beethoven\u2019s An die ferne Geliebte with Vancouver Symphony, Bach\u2019s St. Matthew Passion with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and Shostakovich\u2019s Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti with The Orchestra Now at the Met Museum. He has appeared at several music festivals, including the H\u00e4ndel Festival in Halle, Verbier Festival, Bard Festival, Vancouver Early Music Festival, Montreal Bach Festival, Oregon Bach Festival, Grant Park Festival, Lanaudi\u00e8re Festival, Berkshire Choral Festival, and New York\u2019s Mostly Mozart Festival.\u00a0\n \n|,|title|:|baritone|,|small_image|:| \n |,|bio_image|:| \n |,|full_image|:| \n |},{|type|:|custom|,|name|:|Houston Symphony Chorus|,|bio|:|The Houston Symphony Chorus is one of Houston\u2019s oldest and most distinguished musical organizations.\nOver the years, the Chorus has sung with dozens of the world\u2019s most notable conductors, including Andr\u00e9s Orozco-Estrada, Steven Reineke, Michael Krajewski, Robert Shaw, Andr\u00e9 Previn, Leopold Stokowski, Christoph Eschenbach, Sir John Barbirolli, Ferenc Fricsay, Lawrence Foster, and Hans Graf, to name only a very few.\nIn addition to performances in Jones Hall, the Symphony\u2019s home venue, the Chorus has also delighted audiences in various concert halls throughout the United States, Europe, and Mexico.\nRecent reactions to its performances include:\nClassical\/Chorus: \u201c\u2026beautifully balanced, modulated sound that seamlessly blended with the orchestra.\u201d\n\u2014Review of\u00a0A German Requiem, Houston Chronicle, May 8, 2018\nClassical\/Chorus: \u201c\u2026 the chorus was magnificent.\u201d\n\u2014Review of\u00a0Stabat Mater, Houston Chronicle, September 27, 2018\nThe Chorus consists entirely of volunteer singers who have considerable musical skill, vocal talent, and choral experience. They audition for placement each year.\u00a0 The Chorus performance schedule is possibly the busiest in the country, consisting of up to fourteen different sets of repertoire for a total of 45 concerts.\n|,|title|:|Allen Hightower, Director|,|small_image|:| \n |,|bio_image|:| \n |,|full_image|:| \n |}],|without|:[]}
