Handel’s Messiah
Sat 9 December – 18:00 – 21:30
Come and experience a spectacular performance of Handel’s most famous oratorio this Christmas. Enjoy this iconic music whilst admiring our four remarkable Burne-Jones stained-glass windows, also depicting the life of Christ.
First performed in Dublin in 1742, Handel’s Messiah has since become a staple of Christmas-time. This year, Birmingham Cathedral Choir will bring this choral masterpiece to life, joined by a professional orchestra and soloists, conducted by our Head of Music, David Hardie.
Join us as Handel takes us on a journey of the Christian story, told through this magnificent setting of beautiful choral music.
Handel’s Messiah wouldn’t be so special without a line-up of outstanding soloists. We are proud to have Felicity Rogers, Hope Pugh, Tim Burton and Harry Brookes-Owen with us for this performance. Come back to this page for updated information about our soloists!
Tim Burton Tenor
Tim Burton, Tenor, currently studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under Christopher Turner. Whilst studying he has taken part in various college opera productions, including roles of The Schoolmaster in The Cunning Little Vixen by Janacek, Mr Bobo in Coraline by Anthony-Turnage, and
Moon and King of the East, Enchanted Pig by Jonathan Dove. Opera scenes productions at RBC include performances as: Vasek (Bartered Bride), Jaquino (Fidelio), Polidoro (La Finta Semplice), Lysander (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Max (Der Freischütz). This year at RBC Tim won the Edward Brooks English Song Prize, which was adjudicated by Rebecca Bottone.
At the 2023 Grimeborn festival at Arcola Theatre, he played the tenor in the Trio of Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, directed by Finn Lacey.
Tim has been a lay clerk at Birmingham and Gloucester cathedrals, and as a freelance tenor has sung with various ensembles including The Sixteen and Ex Cathedra. He was a member of the prestigious Genesis Sixteen scheme under Harry Christophers and Eamon Dougan in 2020/21. Tim also enjoys oratorio work which includes Messiah, Samson, Handel, St John Passion, Bach, and Petite Messe Solenelle, Rossini.
Hope Pugh Alto
Hope Pugh is a Mezzo-Soprano from rural Herefordshire. She studied Vocal and Operatic studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with the operatic soprano Amanda Roocroft, graduating in 2022. Hope is currently an Alto Lay Clerk at Birmingham Cathedral and has just finished her year as a member of The Sixteen’s Young Artists programme, Genesis Sixteen. Alongside her work as a freelance musician, Hope works in Education and Outreach for Birmingham Music Services, Walsall Music and Education Hub, Ex Cathedra Singing Medicine and The Sixteen. She also often deputises at The Birmingham Oratory. Hope has a particular interest in early music, historical performance and choral and consort singing.
Hope was the Alto Student Scholar for Ex Cathedra 2021/22 and continues to perform with the choir. She was the first female Alto Choral Scholar at Worcester Cathedral in 2019/20 and a choral scholar at St. Chad’s Cathedral 2020/21. Hope regularly performs as a soloist around the UK, recently in works such as Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Requiem, Dvorak’s Mass in D and Verdi’s Requiem. Hope also has a passion for opera, undertaking many operatic roles, the most recent being Bianca in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia and Sesto in Handel’s Giulio Cesare.
For more information about music at the cathedral and how you can get involved, head to our Worship and Music page.
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