Arcadia Players presents their complete performance of George Frideric Handel’s oratorio Messiah, on Saturday, December 19, at 7:30 PM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 3 Elm Street, Northampton.  Allan Taylor, known throughout the Pioneer Valley as a choral conductor, music director, organist, and harpsichordist, will be guest conductor.
 
    Arcadia’s celebrated presentation of Messiah in historically informed style features a professional orchestra of 18th-century size and composition playing period instruments, and a 12 voice choir whose members serve as both soloists and chorus. By presenting a lighter, more transparent sound from this size ensemble, conductor Allan Taylor aims for an illuminating and inspiring performance of Handel’s great score. He looks forward to sharing this musical masterwork that has become a holiday performance tradition for Arcadia Players and for music lovers everywhere.

    The December 19 performance of Messiah at St. Mary’s Catholic Church is potentially the final performance by Arcadia Players at this historic location, as St. Mary’s is slated for closing by the Diocese of Springfield.

    Allan Taylor is director of the Northampton-based Hampshire Choral Society, a large auditioned chorus based in Northampton. He has conducted many of the major works of the choral repertoire with orchestra including Bach’s Magnificat, the Mass in B minor, and St. John Passion, as well as Haydn’s The Seasons and Handel’s Messiah. Taylor is also director of Novi Cantori, a
20-voice concert choir in which he emphasizes blend and precision in the characteristic sound of a mixed-voice English cathedral choir. Taylor teaches music theory and orchestration at Westfield State College where he recently led four performances of Menotti's opera Amahl and the Night Visitors. Since 1987, he has been Minister of Music at First Congregational Church, Westfield.

    In addition to an active conducting career, Taylor is a concert organist and harpsichordist, performing as accompanist and in solo recital. He has performed with Arcadia Players on organ and harpsichord.

    Ian Watson, Artistic Director of Arcadia Players, will be touring in Europe in December and January as part of the British baroque ensemble The Sixteen under the direction of Harry Christophers. Watson’s engagement as harpsichordist and organist with the renowned British group takes him to Versailles, France, and several  cities in Spain in programs that include Messiah.  Most recently Watson led Arcadia Players in Commonwealth’s Opera’s performances of Mozart's Cosí fan tutte in Northampton.

    Tickets to Messiah may be ordered in advance at 413-586-8742 or at www.cabotix.com.  Advance tickets are $25 general admission, $35 preferred seating, $10 students. Prices at the door are $30 general, $40 preferred, $10 student.

    The Daily Hampshire Gazette is sponsor of Arcadia’s performance of Messiah. The season sponsor for Arcadia’s 2009–2010 season is WGBY.  Arcadia Players receives support from WFCR–88.5FM and the cultural councils of Northampton, Hadley, Holyoke, Plainfield, and Whately.