Handel’s 18th-century masterpiece “The Messiah” is reimagined and infused with Gospel, Jazz, and R&B.
Too Hot to Handel: The Gospel Messiah airs Sunday, December 22 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Handel’s 18th-century masterpiece “The Messiah” is reimagined by Conductor Marin Alsop and colleagues Bob Christianson and Gary Anderson. Handel’s arias, choruses, and orchestration are infused with Gospel, Jazz, and R&B, creating an uplifting reinterpretation of this seasonal favorite. “Too Hot To Handel: The Gospel Messiah” has been seen regularly across the United States since its premiere in New York in 1993. This performance in front of nearly 5,000 people at London’s Royal Albert Hall marks its European premiere. Presented by choirmaster and broadcaster Gareth Malone, the program sees The BBC Concert Orchestra joined by The BBC Symphony Chorus and The London Adventist Chorale, along with soloists Vanessa Haynes and Zwakele Tshabalala.
Photo: Singer Vanessa Haynes on stage/Credit: Michael O’Halloran, BBC Studios