ONE OF Ireland's leading choirs has been invited to perform Handel's Messiah for the pope next year as part of celebrations to mark 80 years of the Vatican City state.
'Our Lady's Choral Society, a choir of the Archdiocese of Dublin, will perform for Pope Benedict XVI next February.
The invitation was extended to them through the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin who made the announcement prior to the opening of the choir's annual performances of the Messiah in the National Concert Hall, beginning this evening at 8pm. They will be accompanied by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
Dr Martin described the invitation as a great honour for the archdiocese and said it was a tribute to
years of dedication and to the exceptional talents of those involved in Our Lady's Choral Society.
The soloists in the National Concert Hall performances this week, Lynda Lee (soprano), Robin Tritschler (tenor), Ian Caddy (bass) and Ulrike Schneider (mezzo soprano), will also be soloists at the Vatican. Ms Schneider is from Halle in Germany, birthplace of George Frederick Handel.
The Messiah was first performed at the Old Music Hall on Dublin's Fishamble Street in April 1742. Our Lady's Choral Society has marked that anniversary in recent years by singing choruses from the Messiah on the street there to audiences of thousands.