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Newry Cathedral will host a performance of Handel’s Messiah with period orchestral instruments on Friday 27 November at 7pm. It will be performed by the Ulster Consort, Northern Ireland’s newest professional vocal ensemble.
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The Ulster Consort will use a small group of just 14 singers, joined by four soloists and an orchestra of specialist period instrumentalists. The performance is described as historically informed and aims to create a soundscape similar to that which Handel would have experienced at the first performance in Dublin in 1742.
The performance will be conducted by Matthew Owens, who is a conductor, composer and organist as well as Music Director of the Ulster Consort. The soloists are award-winning singers Rebecca Murphy (soprano), Laura Lamph (mezzo soprano), Owen Lucas (tenor) and Eoghan Desmond (bass). Each is from, or lives in, Northern Ireland and performs professionally in the UK and Europe.
Matthew Owens said, “We understand that it is many years since a performance of Messiah of this nature will have been heard in the Newry area and our November concert in Newry Cathedral is already proving exceptionally popular as a result,”
“We’ve already been greatly encouraged by ticket sales and, with the performance anticipated to sell out very soon, we would urge concert goers in the Newry area to purchase their tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.”
The Ulster Consort was established in 2019 by Matthew Owens and General Manager Ali Darragh. It is a flexible group that can range from just a few performers to 40 or more musicians. Each year it gives 10 to 12 performances throughout Northern Ireland, ranging from Renaissance polyphony to Baroque oratorio and cutting edge contemporary music.
Tickets for the Newry performance are now on sale, and booking soon is recommended. They can be purchased at www.eventbrite.co.uk and group bookings can be arranged by contacting hello@ulsterconsort.org
For more information about the Ulster Consort, visit www.ulsterconsort.org or follow the group on Facebook.
