In what church leaders hope will be a yearly event, Emmanuel Episcopal Church in La Grange staged a performance last week of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah.”
The oratorio, written in only 24 days by the German-born master, is considered by many to be the most recognizable piece of English language music.
“This is the first year,” Dan Mottl, church junior warden said before the performance. “We hope to do it as an annual event just before Christmas.”
“Messiah” was first performed in Ireland in 1741, and quickly became a favorite of music-lovers of the era. While it originally was considered appropriate for the Easter holiday, over the years Messiah has become a Christmas season staple.
Oratorios are typically large-scale music works for orchestra and voices, focusing on religious themes; the Messiah is no exception, with lyrics taken from Biblical scripture.
The one-and-a-half hour production was conducted by Mary Hopper, emeritus professor of Choral Music at Wheaton College.
During her 43 years at Wheaton, she directed the Women’s Chorale, the Men’s Glee Club, and has toured nationally and internationally.
Since 2018, Hopper has been director of the Hinsdale Chorale, of which several members were dispersed through the crowd at Emmanuel Episcopal for Sunday’s performance, singing along to the choruses.
“I haven’t conducted the Messiah in a while,” Hopper said. “I did it at my church about eight or nine years ago. … They invited me through Hinsdale Chorale because some of my singers are participating today.”
Hopper said “Messiah” has sentimental value, as she possesses scores of the work personalized with her grandfather’s and mother’s names. She has another copy she has saved since graduate school.
The Kaia String Quartet provided the instrumentation for Sunday’s performance in La Grange.
The group has performed at many Chicago-area venues and events, including the Chicago Jazz Festival, The Studebaker Theatre, the Morton Arboretum, the Chicago Latino Music Festival, and Chamber Music on the Fox.
Vocals were provided by several local artists, including Chicago-based soprano Olivia Doig, who has performed in venues throughout the Midwest, including Chicago Opera Theater, Ohio Light Opera and Haymarket Opera. She is currently a guest lecturer in voice studies at Wheaton College.
Mottl said church musical offerings, such as jazz and Latin music performances, usually draw around 100 people, but “we were looking for something different, something bigger.”
“We wanted something that would really fill the church,” he said “What’s bigger than Handel’s Messiah?”
La Grange resident Nanci Davidson, an Emmanuel Episcopal Choir member, was also part of the effort to bring the “Messiah” to the church.
“Dan and I were just talking about ways to draw in the community through music, to enjoy the beautiful acoustics of this church and the new organ that they have invested in,” she said. “We tossed around ideas and the Messiah seemed to be the most resonant.
“It’s not being done around here. It’s usually in the city or further out.”
Davidson, part of the Hinsdale Chorale, said it also offered an opportunity for local performers.
“We wanted it to be more of a community event,” she said. “Even with the soloists, we were pulling in soloists from around here.”
Those included mezzo soprano Janet Mensen Reynolds, of La Grange Highlands, who retired after 26 years in the chorus of the Chicago Lyric Opera and has a private voice studio of 25 students. Baritone Ryan Cox, a professional member of the Grant Park Chorus and the Chicago Symphony Chorus, is the music director at the First Congregational Church of La Grange.
Davidson said she knew such talent needed excellent direction.
“We knew we needed a really good director to come in here,” she said. “Dr. Mary Hopper got on board right away.”
Audience members came away thrilled with the performance.
“It was incredible, it was very moving, spiritual, joyous. It was amazing,” Darien resident Carol Bacon said. “What a great way to experience this right before the holiday. It’s just very moving.”
La Grange village Trustee Peggy Peterson also loved the performance.
“This is a really beautiful community of this church,” she said.
Brookfield resident Dustin Felix was struck by the intimacy of the afternoon.
“It was phenomenal,” he said. “I would go here over going downtown to the Lyric. This is so much nicer, so much more personal, so much more heartfelt. You could hear all the music and the soloists were phenomenal.”
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
