Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (CBS Choir): Handel Messiah
- Date: 07/12/2025 13:30 - 15:30
- Location: St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, 373 Manchester Street
- Tickets: Admission is $30.00 and $25.00, with Eftpos available
Handel’s Messiah will be presented by CBS Music in St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, 373 Manchester St., on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 1.30 pm
Soprano soloist will be Rebecca Ryan, who created headlines singing Handel when she premiered a newly discovered Gloria while a student at the Royal College of Music. Since then, she has performed many oratorios and operas in Europe and NZ. Alto soloist will be Anne Lamont-Low, who is presently based in Montana, U.S. Anne has performed widely in this country and abroad and was a former singer with CBS Music, including several international tours. Our regular Messiah soloists will be Wally Enright, Ken Joblin, and Chris Whelan. The Cathedral Orchestra will be led by Natalia M. Lomeiko, with continuo Janet Cubey and Peter Low. Don Whelan will direct. Admission is $30 and $25, with EFTPOS available.
This annual performance has continued to attract a substantial audience. Messiah proved a popular choice on the group’s first four European tours and concerts throughout the Americas. While awaiting a future cathedral building. The spacious and resonant Catholic Pro-Cathedral is proving an excellent concert venue and temporary home for the regular cathedral music programme. The adjacent CBS Music Centre provides a substantial second auditorium, with very good acoustics and dedicated lighting, used for rehearsals and chamber music concerts.
At this year’s Christmas Midnight Mass, the CBS Choir and Orchestra will perform Haydn’s St Nicholas Mass, and the preceding vigil, beginning at 10.30 pm, will contain the usual congregational carols.
Next year, CBS Music continues its popular Lunch Plus Wednesday At One recital series, the Bach St John Passion at 8 pm on Good Friday, and another Christmas Messiah at 1.30 pm on Sunday, 6 December. On February 1 Summertime Strings will feature a Bach Suite and concertos by Vivaldi and Handel. Further concerts are planned for 1 March and 14 June. The annual Haydn concert will be on 6 September, and the Fauré Requiem will honour All Saints Day, 1 November.. The CBS musical year will conclude with a performance of Weber’s Jubilee Mass at next year’s Christmas Midnight Mass.
New members are welcome to join the cathedral choir, which rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 pm in the CBS Music Centre. Sight-reading ability is expected. Those interested should contact the musical director, Don Whelan, ph. 358 5873.
