New releases from The Orb, Meredith Monk, and Marconi Union
First class from First Nation
TOM KING recommends a groundbreaking performance of Handel's Messiah
Diyet of the Southern Tutchone, who performed Oh thou that Tellest Good Tidings of Zion
[Robin Whiffen (Against the Grain)]
RITA DI SANTO draws attention to a new film that features Ken Loach and Jeremy Corbyn, and their personal experience of media misrepresentation
JULIA TOPPIN recommends Patti Smith’s eloquent memoir that wrestles with the beauty and sorrow of a lifetime
MARJORIE MAYO welcomes an account of family life after Oscar Wilde, a cathartic exercise, written by his grandson
KEN COCKBURN guides us through a survey of Chekov’s early short fiction, and the groundwork it laid for his later masterpieces
ANDY HEDGECOCK revels in a hugely enjoyable but deadly serious examination of the 1930s, that is an indictment of our own era
The bard distills our hellish times into fiery words
HANDEL’S Messiah — perhaps the most famous piece of choral music in history, chronicling the birth, death and resurrection of Christ — is usually performed to packed audiences the world over at Christmas.
But this year many choirs, amateur and professional, haven’t sung together since March and face the prospect of not doing so again for quite some time.
But every cloud, to employ that well-worn phrase, has a silver lining. Unable to give their annual performance of Handel’s masterpiece, Toronto-based opera company Against the Grain decided to film one instead — with a twist.
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