Elmhurst Choral Union to celebrate holidays with Handel's 'Messiah' Dec. 2
On Sunday, Dec. 2, Elmhurst Choral Union and Orchestra will present Handel's "Messiah" at 3 p.m. in Hammerschmidt Chapel on the campus of Elmhurst College.
Guest soloists soprano Angela Presutti, mezzo-soprano Stacy Eckert, tenor Hoss Brock, and baritone Aaron Wardell join Elmhurst Choral Union and a professional orchestra under conductor Scott Uddenberg for the Christmastime favorite.
The performance includes all of Part One ("The Christmas Section") and selections from Parts Two and Three (including the popular "Hallelujah Chorus").
Concert tickets are $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and $10 for youth, age 7 to 22.
Tickets are available from elmhurstchoralunion.org, (800) 838-3006, or at the door.
Elmhurst Choral Union is an outstanding auditioned chorus performing classical masterworks and great choral music of all eras with full professional orchestra.
The concert is funded in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Follow the Elmhurst Choral Union at www.facebook.com/ElmhurstChoralUnion or twitter.com/ElmhurstSings.
Presutti has appeared as a soloist with orchestras and choruses including Grant Park, Park Ridge Civic, the Naples Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She also has recorded "Les Miserables" and "The Phantom of the Opera" for Lakeshore Records. She is a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Grant Park Chorus. Her work in art song and chamber music has been featured on WFMT radio.
Eckert has sung professionally throughout the United States and in Europe. Her operatic roles include the title roles in "Carmen" and "Regina"; "Cherubino" in "Le Nozze di Figaro"; "Waltraute" in "Die Walkure"; among others. She regularly performs with orchestras throughout the United States.
Wardell recently performed as Dr. Raymond in the world premiere of Ross Crean's "The Great God Pan" with Chicago Fringe Opera; Falke in "Die Fledermaus" with Soirée Lyrique; Le Roy in the modern-day premiere of Marais' "Ariane et Bachus" with Haymarket Opera; and as Melchior in "Amahl and the Night Visitors" with Chamber Opera Chicago.
Brock has performed with the Grant Park Chorus and Cantate Chicago, as well as performances of Bach's "Cantata Vespers," and "Schubertiade Oak Park," a mini-marathon concert of music by Franz Schubert.