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- Julian Wachner, conductor of the Trinity Choir and the Trinity Baroque Orchestra, receiving a standing ovation at Trinity Church after a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” on Dec. 11, 2011.
BY TERESE LOEB KREUZER | On Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, the Trinity Choir and Trinity Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Julian Wachner gave dazzling performances of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” with two concerts at Trinity Church and one afternoon performance at St. Paul’s Chapel. On Dec. 19, the choir and orchestra will take their “Messiah” to Alice Tully Hall — the first time that the group has appeared at Lincoln Center.
Wachner, director of music and the arts for Trinity Wall Street, said that he wants to introduce the Trinity musicians to an audience that doesn’t come downtown.
From the first stately chords of the oratorio to its last, resounding “amen,” the Trinity “Messiah” was passionate and nuanced, eliciting standing ovations. The soloists were drawn from the superb Trinity Choir. Countertenor Eric Brenner who sang the soprano part in the gentle, lullaby-like air “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd” with alto Melissa Attebury, was particularly remarkable — but all of the soloists were impressive. Some of them have been with the choir for awhile, but others are new to it this year.
The choir and orchestra have a full musical dance card during the Christmas season when they will be singing for worship services at Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel. Then, on Dec. 26, the first Twelfth Night Festival will begin, with performances almost daily through Jan. 6, 2012. Trinity’s musicians will perform all six parts of J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio plus the “Historia der Geburt Jesu Christi” by Heinrich Schütz, all at St. Paul’s Chapel at 1 p.m. These performances are free with no reservations required, as is a performance at 1 p.m. on Jan. 5 at Trinity Church of works by Monteverdi and Handel, performed by Les Sirènes.
In addition to Trinity Wall Street’s own resident ensembles, the Twelfth Night Festival is presenting other early-music groups — the Green Mountain Project with two performances of the “Vespers of 1640” at the Church of St. Jean Baptiste on the Upper East Side on Jan. 3 and 4, the Theatre of Early Music at Trinity Church on Dec. 28 and TENET at Trinity Church on Dec. 30. These concerts and one entitled “Our Lady 1” with countertenor Ryland Angel and the Sebastian Chamber Players at Trinity Church on Dec. 27 require tickets. Prices for the “Vespers of 1640” range from $25 to $100. The other concerts are $30 a ticket, and $15 for students and seniors. The Alice Tully Hall “Messiah” tickets range from $50 to $90.
In past years, Trinity Wall Street concerts have been less expensive than they are presently, but though the prices have gone up, in most cases it would be possible to hear at least some of the music at free afternoon concerts. Trinity Church is at Broadway and Wall Streets. St. Paul’s Chapel is at Broadway and Fulton Street. For more information, go to www.trinitywallstreet.org/music/choir/schedule/.
