2018 Concert Series Messiah | Page 5

Kia ora koutou, For many New Zealanders, Christmas would not be the same without performances of Messiah. As Patron of Auckland Choral, I am delighted to acknowledge the choir’s 100 th consecutive year of performing one of the world’s best-loved oratorios. Messiah’s exuberant expressions of joy has made it an enduring fixture in the cultural calendar, but one hundred years ago, the influenza pandemic interrupted Auckland Choral’s tradition at a time when 1100 of the city’s citizens died in a few short months. The 1919 performance must have seemed like a welcome return to normality, and the Hallelujah Chorus would have resonated with performers and audiences alike, after four long years of war and a pandemic. Messiah continues to resonate with its message of hope and rejoicing, and I very much look forward to being part of the audience at the 2018 performance. The Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, GNZM, QSO Governor-General of New Zealand I’m delighted to welcome you to Auckland Choral’s 2018 performances of Handel’s Messiah. These performances have been a mainstay on Auckland’s cultural calendar since the choir’s founding in 1855. Only twice in its history has Auckland Choral not taken to the stage for its annual production – at the outbreak of World War I and during the flu epidemic of 1918. Though every performance is special, this year’s is particularly so, marking the 100 th consecutive year that Auckland Choral has staged Handel’s famous oratorio – an immense achievement from New Zealand’s oldest arts organisation. To celebrate, 2018’s performance will see the choir joined by singers from across Aotearoa, including famous Kiwi tenor Simon O’Neill, Mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble, soprano Marlena Devoe, and bass Martin Snell. Enjoy the show and Merry Christmas. Phil Goff, Mayor of Auckland