Handel's Messiah

My family and I attended the live performance of Handel's Messiah last night at the beautiful Central Union Church. Even though it's been a 60 year tradition of performing the Messiah oratorio of the life of Christ, at that church, it was the first time for my family to attend. We plan on making it one of our new family traditions.

I wanted to share some of the photos from last night's magnificent performance since the first reading of Isaiah for the Second Sunday of Advent, is one of the more well-known pieces of the Messiah.

Tenor Recitative
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, t hat her iniquity is pardon'd.

The voice of him th at crieth in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Tenor Aria
Ev'ry valley shall be exalted, and ev'ry mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.

Source: Messiah: The Gospel according to Handel's Oratorio, Roger A. Bullard.

Isaiah 40: 1 - 5, 9 - 11
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"
10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Source: EWTN
Of course, the best part was jumping to feet to join in the Hallelujah Chorus.

The thing that I regretted about the whole performance was that "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" was not sung.