CCS To Perform ‘Messiah’ At Trinity

Ring in the holiday season with The Connecticut Choral Society’s performance of Messiah (Part I) by George Frederic Handel on Saturday, December 10, at 8 pm.

CSS will be performing in a new venue this holiday season: Trinity Episcopal Church, 31 Main Street in Newtown.

The chorus will be accompanied by the CCS Orchestra and professional soloists Boyd Schlaefer and Michelle McBride of Brookfield, and Scott Williams and Julie DeVaere of New York City.

In addition, the chorus will perform a commissioned work by Benjamin Broening, Wit Wonders: Midwinter Mystery, and feature combined works with the Bethlehem Bells, a handbell chorus directed by Rick Wood. Carols of the season, with audience participation, will complete the program.

Tickets are available at 800-555-5250 or on the web at www.CTChoralSociety.org. They are $18 if purchased in advance (available in Newtown at Drug Center Pharmacy and Villarina’s Pasta) or $20 at the door.

Founded in 1980, the Connecticut Choral Society, Inc. is under the direction of John Robert Liepold. Its members are committed to providing a music resource for Connecticut, encouraging the singing and performance of choral music of high artistic quality, and stimulating greater appreciation and enjoyment of choral music.

Newtown residents currently singing with CCS include Ronald Dukenski, Lori Elway, Philip Gerety, Loretta O’Malley, Marjorie Rogers, Chris Salerno, Richard Salerno and Peg Taylor.

In recent seasons, CCS has performed Mozart’s Requiem in Waterbury, Bach’s Mass in B minor at Woolsey Hall in New Haven, and Durufle’s Requiem and Rutter’s Gloria in Danbury, among others. The Choral Society has appeared at Carnegie Hall, toured internationally and performed on network television.