Handel And Haydn Society Will Present Its 172nd Annual Performances Of Handel's Messiah In November
Boston’s oldest performing arts organization continues its holiday tradition before bringing Messiah to Florida in December.
By: A.A. Cristi Oct. 29, 2025
The Handel and Haydn Society will present its 172nd annual performances of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah at Symphony Hall in Boston on November 28, 29, and 30, 2025. Led by Artistic Director Jonathan Cohen, this season’s performances of the celebrated oratorio will feature the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus alongside four acclaimed American soloists: soprano Lauren Snouffer, mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass-baritone Nicholas Newton, who makes his H+H debut.
Following the Boston concerts, Cohen and the ensemble will travel to Florida for debut performances of Messiah at Artis–Naples on December 2 and the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach on December 3. Rounding out the season, Associate Conductor Ian Watson will lead H+H’s annual chamber version of Messiah at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on December 12.
H+H’s history with Messiah stretches back more than two centuries. Selections from the oratorio were performed at the Society’s first concert in 1815, and the ensemble gave the American premiere of the complete work on Christmas Day 1818 at King’s Chapel in Boston. Annual holiday performances have continued since 1854, including the 2020 digital presentation Messiah for Our Time, filmed safely during the pandemic at GBH studios.
Judith Verhave, Chair of the Handel and Haydn Society Board of Governors, noted that “no other chorus and orchestra performs Messiah with the authenticity, commitment, and dramatic power that audiences experience from H+H every year,” adding that this year marks an exciting opportunity to share the work with audiences in Naples and West Palm Beach.
Prior to each Boston performance, concertgoers are invited to attend Musically Speaking in Higginson Hall, hosted by Christopher Hogwood Historically Informed Performance Fellow Teresa Neff. The talk, presented forty-five minutes before each concert, provides historical context and insight into Handel’s music.
Performances of Messiah will take place at Symphony Hall on Friday, November 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 29 at 3:00 p.m.; and Sunday, November 30 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets and subscriptions are available by calling 617.262.1815 or visiting handelandhaydn.org.
The Handel and Haydn Society, Boston’s Grammy Award–winning Baroque and Classical ensemble, has been captivating audiences for over two centuries. Recognized as the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States, H+H performs on period instruments and is acclaimed for its historically informed performances that connect contemporary audiences with the vitality of early music.
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