Name: Classical Christmas: Messiah with the LPO
Start: 2025-12-05T19:30:00-06:00
Location: Orpheum Theater New Orleans

Classical Christmas: Messiah with the LPO

Join the 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚 and conductor 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝐊𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫 at the Orpheum Theater for an evening of luminous music that celebrates the spirit of the season through baroque elegance, choral majesty, and timeless reflection.
📅 Date: Friday, December 5, 2025
🕢 Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Orpheum Theater
The concert opens with Arcangelo Corelli’s “𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑚𝑎𝑠 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑜” Op. 6, No. 8, a baroque gem written for a Roman Christmas Eve celebration in 1690. Alternating between graceful lyricism and vibrant ensemble interplay, Corelli’s concerto captures the warmth and reverence of the nativity story with its pastoral finale — a moment of hushed wonder beneath the starlit sky.
Next comes Gerald Finzi’s “𝐼𝑛 𝑇𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑎 𝑃𝑎𝑥”, a radiant and deeply personal meditation on peace. Written in 1954, this work blends choir, baritone, soprano, and orchestra in a sound world of quiet beauty and emotional depth. Finzi weaves the Christmas narrative into a modern reflection on hope, memory, and the search for stillness amid uncertainty.
The evening culminates with highlights from George Frideric Handel’s “𝑀𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑎ℎ”, one of the most beloved and enduring works in classical music. From the powerful opening “𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑦𝑒” to the triumphant “𝐻𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙𝑢𝑗𝑎ℎ” chorus, Handel’s score radiates joy and redemption, blending theatrical vitality with spiritual transcendence.
Together, these works trace a journey from intimate devotion to universal celebration — an invitation to experience the transformative power of live orchestral and choral music in one of New Orleans’s most breathtaking settings.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢 (1653–1713)
A pioneering figure of the Italian Baroque, Corelli shaped the language of instrumental music through his mastery of the concerto grosso and the violin sonata. His graceful melodies and elegant counterpoint influenced generations of composers, laying the foundation for the expressive orchestral writing of Handel and Bach.
𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐳𝐢 (1901–1956)
An English composer celebrated for his lyrical sensitivity and human warmth, Finzi’s music often explores themes of transience, faith, and renewal. Drawing inspiration from English poetry and landscape, his works blend introspective beauty with an understated emotional honesty that continues to resonate with audiences today.
𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐥 (1685–1759)
Born in Germany and celebrated across Europe, Handel became one of the defining voices of the Baroque era. His oratorio Messiah, composed in just 24 days, has become a cornerstone of holiday tradition worldwide. Handel’s music fuses dramatic power with radiant faith, reminding us of music’s ability to uplift the human spirit.
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