A SPECIAL candlelit Christmas performance of the world’s favourite oratorio – Handel’s Messiah – is at Monmouth’s St Mary’s Church this Saturday. 

Three Castles Baroque conducted by founder Ian Russell, a former WNO French horn playe, will perform the classic work on Saturday, December 16, including the Hallelujah Chorus, The Trumpet Shall Sound and I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.

Soloists are soprano Naomi Harvey, mezzo-sporano Charlotte Sleet, tenor John Bowen and bass Alan Fairs. 

Naomi has worked with the likes of the WNO, ENO, Scottish NO and the Royal Opera House over the last 20 years.

Charlotte, who graduated  from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the pandemic, spent two years at Hereford Cathedral as a choral scholar, and is also an Oxford Bach Soloists scholar and a Philharmonia Chorus singer.   

John started out as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral, did a choral scholarship at Kings Cambridge in the 1980s and a post grad at the Royal College of Music, and has sung recently with the likes of Tenebrae, The English Concert, London Voices and Opus Anglicanum. 

Bass-baritone Alan was a Choral Exhibitioner at Caius College, Cambridge, and sang with the BBC Singers in London Sir David Willcocks selected him to sing the bass solos in ‘Messiah from Scratch’ at the Royal Albert Hall, and he has performed for more than a hundred choirs, festivals and choral societies across Europe.

The concert also features the Three Castles Baroque Chorus and Chamber Ensemble, and starts at 7.30pm. Tickets £16 from www.eventbrite.co.uk and on the door.