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