Dunedin Consort: Children's Messiah

The Dunedin Consort bring their Children's Messiah to The Queen's Hall on Wednesday 16 December, a 45-minute adaptation of Handel's Messiah built for young audiences and first-time concertgoers. It's a shorter, guided version of the original, designed with young ears in mind rather than as a full-length performance. The whole thing is led by two characters: Mr Handel himself and his lively footwoman Frances, who take the audience through some of the composer's greatest hits. Along the way, storytelling and interactive games sit alongside the live orchestral music, and brave audience members get the chance to step up and conduct the orchestra.

It's aimed at children who might be attending a concert hall for the very first time, and there's BSL interpretation throughout. The Dunedin Consort are known for performing the work 'the Dunedin way', as Handel would first have heard it: with a small orchestra and a team of about twelve singers and soloists who step out from the chorus. While the Hallelujah chorus has become the work's calling card, Handel wrote every note to impress and astound his listeners, and the performance draws on both the grand choruses and the more moving solo writing.

It runs on Wednesday 16 December at 16:30, with the whole thing lasting 45 minutes. Tickets are £6, and it's at The Queen's Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JG.