Handel and Haydn Society Presents CROSSING THE DEEP

The Handel and Haydn Society will explore the connections between Handel and the creation of the American Spiritual in Crossing the Deep, June 1 and 4, 2023 at Smith Hall at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

Crossing the Deep will feature the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus performing movements from Handel's Chandos Anthems and a selection of traditional spirituals including "In This Lan'," "I will Trust in the Lord," "When I am Dead" and others.

Created by H+H Resident Conductor Dr. Anthony Trecek-King and H+H Programming Consultant Reginald Mobley, Crossing the Deep uses imagery, music and spoken word to tell a story of hope, despair, triumph, tribulation and the common humanity that connects us all. The music was inspired by the same texts and created at roughly the same time on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Spoken word performances by Regie Gibson will bridge the gap between works, highlighting the common theme of the music to inspire hope and strength and express sorrow and pain.

"This project was born out of the discovery that Handel had been paid in shares in a company that profited off the transatlantic slave trade. As artists, we wanted to explore the issue through music, and hopefully educate our audience in the process," said Dr. Anthony Trecek-King. "On the surface, spirituals seem to be simple to perform, but the emotional depth behind the music makes it incredibly difficult to do them justice."

This program is supported in part by Cambridge Trust and the Robert N. Shapiro Fund for Imagination and Creativity.