H+H at the Holidays
HOLIDAY CONCERTS IN BOSTON THIS YEAR
Celebrate the holiday season with the Handel and Haydn Society! Honor a musical Christmas tradition over a century old, and create new memories for your family, by attending these classical music performances throughout this holiday season.
172nd Handel's Messiah
NOV 28 + 29 + 30 at Symphony Hall
It's as Boston as Fenway Park. For the 172nd consecutive year, H+H presents Handel's iconic Messiah, the greatest story ever told in song. This majestic music will rekindle joy and hope at Symphony Hall with the incomparable H+H Orchestra and Chorus under the “expert direction” (The Boston Globe) of Artistic Director Jonathan Cohen with renowned soprano Lauren Snouffer who’ll bring this soul-stirring story to life with “a lustrous tone” (Cincinnati Business Courier). Without a doubt, this is Boston’s must-see Messiah.
The Tradition of Messiah
Messiah has become synonymous with Christmas celebrations in the United States and abroad. In Boston, the Handel and Haydn Society has performed Messiah during the Christmas season every year since 1854. Messiah around the holidays has now become one of Boston's favorite traditions. Each year, H+H's performances of Handel's Messiah attract over 6,000 audience members to Boston’s Symphony Hall. Our incredible Orchestra and Chorus embraces historically-informed interpretations of this masterwork (performing in ways that Handel himself would have found familiar), as well as all Baroque and Classical repertoire, to bring new and refreshing performances to our audiences.
Baroque Christmas
DEC 18 + 21 at NEC's Jordan Hall
Deck the halls with Bach and the brilliance of the Baroque! Celebrate the season with the H+H Orchestra, Chorus, and Resident Conductor Scott Allen Jarrett as they bring you music that overflows with joy and “crackles with spirit” (The Arts Fuse). The holidays shine even brighter with jubilant works by the harmonious duo J.S. Bach and his cousin J.L. Bach, alongside the sparkling beauty of Graupner’s Magnificat.
Get a Holiday Sneak Peek
If you are unable to attend our Handel's Messiah or Baroque Christmas concerts, or you simply wish to get in the spirit leading up to these beloved holiday concerts in Boston, you can stream H+H's Messiah online. Technology has allowed us to bring our treasured Christmas tradition to listeners in Boston and beyond. This video performance, recorded in 2019, features our peerless Orchestra and Chorus, joined by incredible soloists, and critically-acclaimed conductor, Masaaki Suzuki. Enjoy the dazzling vocal solos, spine-tingling instrumental fireworks, and some of the most glorious choral writing of all time online.