Wichita Symphony to perform Mozart’s orchestration of Handel’s ‘Messiah’

Janet Brown, the featured soprano for the Wichita Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Handel’s “Messiah” next weekend, discovered her love for baroque music while still a teen.

Her parents bought three albums of baroque music for her, and the music touched a chord in Brown’s soul.

“I fell in love with it,” Brown said. “I listened to it over and over again.”

Her familiarity with the baroque style helped launch Brown’s career soon after she went to college, when she auditioned for a role in Tufts University’s performance of Mozart’s “Requiem.”

“Because I had that style in my brain, I got the solo,” Brown said.

Brown said she loves any Mozart oratorios and has a special love for Handel’s “Messiah,” the most widely performed oratorio.

The Wichita Symphony will be performing the version of “Messiah” orchestrated by Mozart. The performance will also mark the first time the symphony has performed “Messiah” in about 15 years, said Daniel Hege, music director and conductor.

One of the things Brown likes best about “Messiah” is that the songs are in a theological order.

“You have to plant your feet on that stage and be an evangelist,” Brown said. “There’s no room in there for wimpy singers when you do the ‘Messiah.’ ”

Hege said the oratorio, sometimes thought of as an Easter work, is written in three parts. The first part proclaims the prophecies of the birth of the Messiah, relying largely on the prophecies of Isaiah. That makes the “Messiah” an appropriate choice as a Christmas season performance.

The second part of “Messiah” tells the story of the Passion. The third part proclaims the Resurrection.

“People will be familiar with it – it will be recognizable to all,” Hege said. “We’re doing all the most well-known, popular numbers. That makes it unique among ‘Messiah’ performances. We wanted to use a larger version of ‘Messiah.’ ”

Hege pointed to the universal recognition of the “Hallelujah” chorus in the “Messiah,” which he said has “become part of our culture.”

Hege and Brown have worked together many times. From 1999-2011, Hege was director of the Syracuse (N.Y.) Symphony. Brown is professor of practice at Syracuse University.

“She is truly an outstanding singer and musician,” Hege said.

Brown said Hege’s experience as a singer himself makes him easier to work with.

“He’s a wonderful conductor for singers,” Brown said. “He understands what it means to be a singer. Sometimes conductors don’t understand that.”

Hege has also worked before with the three other vocalists featured: Tim LeFebvre, Barbara Rearick and Dinyar Vania.

Michael Hanawalt, chorus director and conductor, said this will be his first experience with Mozart’s orchestration of “Messiah.”

“There is really no more important work in orchestral oratories than Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ ” Hanawalt said.

This story was originally published November 29, 2015 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Wichita Symphony to perform Mozart’s orchestration of Handel’s ‘Messiah’."