This year’s Messiah at the TSO is a fairly small scale affair by TSO standards.  There’s still the 100+ strong Toronto Mendelssohn Choir but the orchestra is quite small; 12 violins, 6 violas, 4 cellos, 2 basses, 2 oboes and bassoon, plus Christopher Bagan on a sort of monster harpsichord/organ combo. There were two trumpets in the gallery for “Glory to God” and they were back (on stage) with timpani for the Hallelujah chorus and part 3.  With Jane Glover conducting it felt like it was almost in Tafelmusik territory.

It was very satisfying overall.  All four soloists were on form.  Josh Hopkins was solid throughout with a suitably martial “Why Do the Nations”.  Colin Ainsworth showed he hasn’t (as I feared after Orphée) lost his high notes and showed them to advantage in his early airs.  Krisztina Szabó was her usual excellent self with a particularly fine “He Was Despised”.  The discovery for me was soprano Lauren Snouffer and it was a happy discovery.  She has excellent coloratura and a nicely controlled fast vibrato and she’s even willing to throw in a few ornaments.  She’s lyrical too as a very fine “How Beautiful Are the Feet” demonstrated.  The orchestra and chorus were excellent.  Glover’s conducting was very energetic.

So, a perfectly satisfying small(ish) scale Messiah.  No car horns or whoopee cushions à la Davis but honestly I don’t much care for massive Messiahs so I was happy.  There are further performances at Roy Thomson Hall on the 19th, 20th, 22nd and 23rd.

Photo credits: Allan Cabral