Australians joined Christians of all denominations in viewing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s live concert of Handel’s Messiah this past weekend. The concert, which took place on Good Friday evening in Salt Lake City (noon Saturday AEDT), was broadcast simultaneously throughout the world. It was received by satellite broadcast in Church buildings throughout Australia and is now available on the internet from the Choir website through 4 April Salt Lake City time (5th April 6 pm AEDT).
Christians and music lovers everywhere were invited to come together for the concert, a sing-in, and to participate in a worldwide virtual choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus. Several Australians sent in videos which were joined with 2,500 others from around the world to make the world’s largest choir rendition of the beloved chorus. For full coverage read here.
The Messiah concert will be shown in Adelaide this coming Sunday, 3 April, at the Firle Stake Centre of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 120 Gage Street, beginning at 7 pm. Adelaide singers are invited to join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert in a sing-in during the performance. Caroline McIlwaine, Adelaide Public Affairs Director, said, “We wanted to host a ‘Sing-in’ in Adelaide because—with its uplifting messages about the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—it’s a great way to affirm faith in Him and to experience the joy of music.” For more information, click here.
The website of the Ivanhoe (Melbourne) Catholic Parish says, “[I was] exhilarated by a stunning and spiritually uplifting Good Friday performance of Handel’s Messiah….This was clearly an exceptional vocal and musical harmony of scripture and the very best of human endeavour….I would not be surprised to see this particular performance of Handel’s Messiah become recognised as one of the world’s finest.” To read the complete review, click here.
Karen Maxwell, who sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir prior to coming to Australia with her husband Cory Maxwell, President of the Australia Melbourne Mission, had this to say about the Messiah performance:
“Mack Wilberg is a genius. He is held in the highest esteem by choir directors around the world. They all sing his arrangements. He is eminently suited to conduct a baroque piece. He has a real understanding and ear for the baroque sound, as well as a spiritual sensitivity that allows him to draw out the sublime spiritual aspects of the text. It was a great privilege just to sit in the stake centre and listen to the concert.”
The performance will be available on the Tabernacle Choir website for viewing in Australia until 6 pm AEDT, Tuesday, 5th April.