It’s that time of year when one ponders the vexed question of how many Messiahs, and which ones, one is going to see this year.  For Torontonians there seem to be four principal contenders; two fairly conventional and two less so.  At the conventional end of things there’s the TSO of course.  This year it’s back to the usual performing edition though fans of Sir Andrew’s “Big Fat Messiah” as heard last year can now acquire it on CD from the Chandos label.  Baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan conducts so it’s probably as close to HIP as the TSO are ever going to get.  Soloists are Yulia Van Doren, Abigail Levis, Isaiah Bell and Daniel Okulitch.  I’m not familiar with either of the ladies but the guys are top notch.  As ever the orchestra will be joined by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.  There are five performances at Roy Thomson Hall on the 18th at 3pm and the 19th, 20th, 21st and 23rd at 8pm.

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