The Philadelphia Orchestra performs Handel's Messiah, conducted by Bernard Labadie with soloists Joelle Harvey, Iestyn Davies, Andrew Haji, and Neal Davies.
The Philadelphia Orchestra performs Handel's Messiah at Marian Anderson Hall in the Kimmel Center on December 4, 2026. It's a piece that's become a holiday fixture for many, built around the 'Hallelujah' chorus, and it's widely considered Handel's greatest hit and a major landmark of composition—still being written about more than 270 years after its first performance.
This season's reading is led by Canadian conductor Bernard Labadie, an acknowledged master of Baroque and Classical music and founder of Montreal's Les Violons du Roy. One critic described his interpretation as "so rousing, so generous, so lovingly, exquisitely detailed" that it made him fall in love with the work all over again.
Joining the orchestra are four soloists: soprano Joélle Harvey, countertenor Iestyn Davies, tenor Andrew Haji, and bass-baritone Neal Davies. The choral parts are handled by the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir, directed by Ryan Brandau. Together they take on the full scope of the work, which runs about two hours and twenty minutes of music plus an intermission.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Philadelphia and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Messiah is a choral masterwork that's earned its place as a perennial holiday favorite, and this performance brings it to the Kimmel Center's Marian Anderson Hall at 300 S Broad St in Philadelphia. The music spans more than two hours, so it's a full evening's commitment.
Date
4 December – 5 December
14:00
Price
Paid
Recommended Age
+14 years
