- This event has passed.
Handel’s Messiah
Handel’s Messiah
Tuesday
Dec 12, 2023
7:30 PM
Winston-Salem Symphony
Winston-Salem Symphony Chorus
Ashley Fabian Soprano
Leah Wool Mezzo-Soprano
Gene Stenger Tenor
Michael Hix Bass
Michelle Merrill Conductor
Chris Gilliam Chorus Director
George Frideric Handel
Messiah
Program Notes
Handel’s Messiah is one of the most celebrated oratorios of all time. The glorious “Hallelujah” chorus, tenderly expressive arias, and the majestic choruses have been drawing crowds since the composition was premiered in 1742. Let Handel’s melodies lift your spirit and fill your heart this Christmas season as Music Director Michelle Merrill invites you to rediscover the magic of this enduring work.
‘Tis the season of giving. This concert is a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC. Please bring a donation of non-perishable food items; Second Harvest representatives will be with their truck on Wake Forest Drive just behind Wait Chapel, and a bin will also be at the front door.
Single tickets to this event go on sale August 1, but you can save your seat with a subscription!
Handel’s Messiah
Tuesday
Dec 12
7:30 PM
Venue
Wait Chapel
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
Rideshare and Dining
About the Performers
Ashley Fabian
Soprano
Acclaimed by the New York Classical Review as “a vision of sunshine and joy”, possessing a “lovely lyric soprano”, Ashley Fabian is quickly garnering recognition for her artistry in both comedic and dramatic roles. She is celebrated for her “voice of immense warmth and scintillating spin” (parterre box), and her command of the stage has been praised by critics and audiences across the nation.
Leah Wool
Mezzo Soprano
Grammy-nominated for her work as Minerva on Boston Baroque’s recording of Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, mezzo-soprano Leah Wool is in-demand on operatic and concert stages, most recently with the San Francisco and Cincinnati symphonies, the Utah Opera, and the Defiant Requiem Foundation, to whom she makes a return in 2023/24.
Gene Stenger
Tenor
Hailed as an “impressive tenor” (The New York Times) who sings with “sweet vibrancy” (The Cleveland Plain Dealer) Gene Stenger is one of the country’s most called upon Bach specialists who is also heralded for his performances of oratorios by Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Mozart.
Michael Hix
Baritone
Baritone Michael Hix has been praised by critics for his “expressive voice” and “commanding stage presence.” His career highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood Music Center, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and Vienna’s Musikverein.
Michelle Merrill
Music Director
Michelle Merrill has been inspiring audiences throughout the country with her sharply detailed and vibrant performances. A passionate and dynamic artist, she served four years as the Assistant and then Associate Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where she also carried the title of Phillip and Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador.
Chris GIlliam
Symphony Chorus Director
A conductor praised for his “precision and clarity,” and performances hailed as “enlightened,” Chris Gilliam is the Director of the Winston-Salem Symphony Chorus, Director of Choral Activities at Wake Forest University, and Director of Music at Highland Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem.
You May Also Like…
THE NINTH
Beethoven’s glorious “Choral” symphony, beloved for its Ode to Joy, is paired with two of the composer’s other works as well as a recent Beethovenian piece by Carlos Simon.