Wanted: 2,000 singers, from seasoned veterans to shower-stall crooners, to join Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir at Toronto’s Massey Hall on December 22 for a thrilling sing-along performance of the world-famous Messiah oratorio.

George Frideric Handel’s 1742 choral masterpiece, with its rousing Hallelujah chorus, has been a holiday tradition since 1986, when Tafelmusik choir director Ivars Taurins first donned a powdered wig, velvet coat and German accent to become Mr. Handel. Hijinks ensued. One year a Star Wars stormtrooper brought Mr. Handel his traditional glass of wine. Nobody knows what tricks the witty director will have up his voluminous sleeves this year.

Guest Artists

Joining the orchestra, choir and 2,000 extras are four guest soloists. Soprano Myriam Leblanc is one of Quebec’s brightest stars, mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó is known

for her interpretation of baroque music, tenor Jacob Perry is known for his stylish interpretations of early music and French Canadian bass-baritone Philippe Sly has been recognized internationally for his beautiful tone and magnetic stage presence.

New Digs for 2024

Tafelmusik is making a triumphant return to Massey Hall for the first time since renovations shut down the storied building in 2017. As the music and voices soar, notice the meticulously restored stained-glass windows that were boarded up for decades to muffle noise from the street. Windows of 12 famous composers, including Handel, adorn the Hall’s exterior. The “lost” portraits of Bach and Beethoven, now returned to their proper place, were found in unmarked boxes in the basement of nearby Roy Thomson Hall.

Sing your Heart Out

Many devoted audience members return annually, arriving with dog-eared scores. Those who sing Handel’s majestic music with the chorus are placed in the section that suits their voice: soprano, alto, tenor or bass. As one of a cast of thousands, nobody cares how well you belt out time-worn biblical lines from the brisk All we like sheep to the show-stopping Hallelujah chorus with its thundering And he shall reign for ever and ever. The concluding part of the oratorio is the solemn Amen that envelopes listeners in layer upon layer of swirling sound. Some people leave the hall in tears, while others leave with a smile, ready to face the holiday season.