Harris Center Presents A World-Class Performance Of Handel's Messiah

Grammy-nominated Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra are widely regarded as some of the greatest interpreters of Handel's Messiah, with their New York performances topping critics' picks every year. The Harris Center is very proud to present these world-class ensembles in what promises to be a high point for the capital region this holiday season.

The very first time Handel's Messiah was performed in America, it was performed in a tavern in New York. The second and probably more famous performance was at Manhattan's Trinity Wall Street, a parish down the street from the tavern, in New York City in 1770. The relationship between Trinity Wall Street and Handel's Messiah has been a special one ever since; if there was but one performance of the Messiah to see, this would be it. "To experience the full, formidable range of Messiah, from the furious flames of the 'refiner's fire' to the delirious party of the finale...let Trinity be your guide....A model of what is musically and emotionally possible" (New York Times).

The performance of Handel's Messiah by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra (Julian Wachner conducting) will take place at the Harris Center Friday December 9, 2016 at 7 pm. Tickets are on sale $39-$75; Premium $79. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Whether performing with the New York Philharmonic or with the Rolling Stones on their 50th anniversary tour, the Choir of Trinity Wall Street is one of a kind, "blazing with vigor...a choir from heaven" (The Times, London). This premiere ensemble, under the direction of Julian Wachner, can be heard in New York City and around the world in performances alternately described as "thrilling" (The New Yorker), "musically top-notch" (The Wall Street Journal), and "simply superb" (The New York Times). The choir leads the liturgical music on Sundays at Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel, while performing in Bach at One, Compline by Candlelight, and many other concerts and festivals throughout the year. Critically acclaimed annual performances of Handel's Messiah are part of its long and storied tradition, and attending the Choir's performances at Trinity's annual Twelfth Night Festival has quickly become the holiday tradition of many New Yorkers as well.

With Julian Wachner as principal conductor, Trinity Baroque Orchestra boasts a varied roster of North America's finest period players. Robert Mealy, described by The New Yorker as "New York's world-class early music violinist," serves as principal concertmaster. The Orchestra's musicians bring extensive experience gained with the finest orchestras, chamber ensembles and festivals from around the world. In addition, several of the players hold faculty and adjunct faculty positions at the most respected institutions, including Yale University, Harvard University, Indiana University, and The Juilliard School's Historical Performance Program.

And one can't say enough about Julian Wachner-his charismatic performances inspire uncommon praise. The New York Times pronounced his Trinity Wall Street debut "superbly performed" and noted that the ensemble's annual Lincoln Center presentation of Handel's Messiah was "led with both fearsome energy and delicate grace...a model of what is musically and emotionally possible with this venerable score." Of his interpretation of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, according to the Boston Globe, "there was genius here and no mistaking it." Anne Midgette, of The Washington Post, declared recent Wagner and Verdi performances "exhilarating," commenting: "Julian Wachner knows how to draw maximum drama from a score," and noted that he was "emphatic and theatrical and so at home in opera that he could bring out the requisite sense of drama."

This Year Marks Six Seasons of Great Shows. Up Close. In Folsom!

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting more than 150,000 annually.

For tickets visit www.HarrisCenter.net.