Handel: Messiah. Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (Jean-Sébastien Vallée, creative director). Lauren Snouffer, soprano; Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano; Anthony León, tenor; Gerald Finley, bass-baritone. Michael Francis, conductor. At Roy Thomson Corridor, Dec. 16, 2025. Repeats Dec. 17, 19, 20, 21; tickets here.
Handel’s Messiah returns yearly to Roy Thomson Corridor beneath the auspices of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, sometimes with distinguishing traits imported by a visiting conductor and a contemporary slate of soloists.
The model heard on Dec. 16 beneath the baton of Michael Francis had all of the fundamentals. Probably the repeat performances will event extra of a hard-to-define high quality I shall name Messiah magic.
The Choir
Central to the night had been the 169 choristers of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, most on stage risers. Balanced and exact as ready by Jean-Sébastien Vallée, they responded faithfully to Francis’s dynamic and articulatory calls for.
The already bracing distinction between the grave and allegro sequences of Since By Man Got here Dying was redoubled with an unauthorized distinction of quantity. As TSO music director Gustavo Gimeno factors out in an introductory program essay, the Messiah maestro has one thing like carte blanche within the matter of expressive markings, Handel having left us only a few.
Francis confirmed a desire for gentle textures and glancing rhythms. And He Shall Purify was appropriately nimble. Fortunately, there have been no half measures for Hallelujah, which had its anticipated galvanizing impact. All however a handful within the crowd had been on their toes. Presumably Francis had the thought of elevating the home lights to encourage standing and make sure the standing of this refrain as primus inter pares.
Not all the things went as nicely. In some circumstances sluggish tempos conspired with a gradual beat and détaché phrasing to create a sense of stasis. There might be little doubt of the iambic pulse of Behold The Lamb Of God. The ultimate Amen was orderly however left me wanting one thing extra overtly apocalyptic.
Soloists
Soloists had been seated stage proper and requested to stroll to the centre because the prior quantity was winding down. This created a welcome contact of theatricality.
Susan Platts was essentially the most spectacular of the 4. The British-born Canadian mezzo-soprano didn’t make a forceful sound however projected internal depth. Even the breath breaks added to the expressive efficiency of He Was Despised.
Gerald Finley — in contrast Canadian-born and resident in Britain — was a noble bass-baritone, equal to each the vary and authority embodied by The Trumpet Shall Sound. TSO principal Steven Woomert sounded gleaming within the title position.
Tenor Anthony León, described as American-born, Cuban and Colombian, made amends for an edgy tone with glorious diction. Like his colleagues, he ornamented amply. Lauren Snouffer was candy and poised in I Know That My Redeemer Liveth. This American soprano additionally gave us If God Be For Us — an air that’s usually minimize within the hustle to convey the post-Hallelujah Half 3 to a detailed. Affiliate concertmaster Matthew Hakkarainen provided a refined violin obbligato. It might good one in every of these years to listen to the duet O Dying, The place Is Thy Sting?
Orchestra
The orchestra numbered 38, though solely a fraction of gamers had been used for smaller-scaled solos. String sound, in step with up to date dictates, was largely vibrato-free. Trumpets had been within the organ loft for Glory To God.
Armed with a baton and utilizing a rating, Francis was firmly accountable for the particulars. This British conductor, showing for the fourth time with the TSO, is aware of his stuff. Judging by the constructive response, the gang might inform. There are 4 additional performances.
Are you trying to promote an event? Have a news tip? Must know one of the best events taking place this weekend? Ship us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the every day arts information straight to your inbox.
Join the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — native classical music and opera information straight to your inbox HERE.
Arthur Kaptainis was classical music critic of the Montreal Gazette from 1986 to 2022 and wrote for the Nationwide Publish from 2010 to 2016. His articles seem in Classical Voice North America and Gramophone in addition to Ludwig Van. Arthur holds an MA in musicology from the College of Toronto. He’s president of the Music Critics Affiliation of North America.
