Messiah, Handel's oratorio celebrating the arrival of Jesus Christ the Saviour, is a perennial favourite in England and the United States. At Christmas time, particularly every year sees a raft of performances, ranging from amateur choirs to the best choirs in the land. In Australia, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic has performed the Messiah every year since it was formed – in 2024, it was performed for the world record 245th time since 1853.
The work's première was in Dublin on 13th April 1742. Twelve years later, in 1754, a historically important performance was a benefit concert for the Foundling Hospital, which Handel co-founded. By then, Messiah had been much revised and had reached the form commonly played today.
If you're thinking of treating yourself to a performance of Messiah this coming Christmas – continuing your Christmas tradition or maybe starting a new one – take a look below at our list of performances happening around the world.
