THE MESSIAH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 514, 21 December 1881, Page 1

THE MESSIAH.

; ♦ r„ . r : ;,; j A sacred festival was held 71 night, at the Town Hall, wheQ Handel’s great work the oratoria “Messiah,” or rather the principal, numbers from it were performed by the leading amateurs of the town. As we anticipated, there was a large atten-‘« dance, conclusively proving the interest taken by the public in the work: When 0 ' it first became known that the “ Mes- ;JJ siah ” was in rehearsal, there were npt‘ wanting those who characterised/-the. D project as an absurdly ambitious ene::-t for amateurs to carry out. Well,- the performers were comparatively fevf ini' ;v number, but they had spared no paths to make the performance as successful i as possible, 1 hnd they may be congratm n lated on the result of their efforts .I'hßi.r principal vocalists last night- include# Mesdames Penlington and Vaughan, i» the Misses Permain, Thorpe, G. Gates/ and Kidd, and Messrs G. D. and H. Pickford, but with the chorus,. the total number of performers reached','.! the number of sixty. Miss Gates ably presided at the organ, and Mr ;H.* Morris at the pianoforte, Mr H. ■AihC Gates made an efficient conductor. Of course in an amateur performance o{ ! this kind, criticism would be altogether h out of place ; let us repeat that, the per* ‘ formance as a whole was a very credit* :1: able one, and should encourage those connected with it to further efforts m ; : r. same direction.