Staff reporter
DIMAPUR, APRIL 5
Dimapur denizens welcomed Easter with Baroque composer George Frederic Handel’s
“Messiah”on Saturday evening. The famed oratorio based on a biblical libretto made its debut at the New Music Hall in April 1742. Four hundred years later his music continues to stir audiences, into all corners of the world, now including Nagaland.
The performance by the choir made of members of different choirs from Nagaland, soloists and musicians both international and domestic ensured that the venue of the performance the Dimapur Ao Baptist Church, was packed to capacity.
In fact, the biggest Church in Nagaland, with a capacity to seat 7000 people failed to accommodate all arrivals. According to the volunteers many hundreds of individuals were turned away.
The choir comprised members from the Baptist Churches of Sumi, Chakhesang, Ao, Lotha, Kuda Village, Dimapur Christian Fellowship, Patkai Chorale, Nagaland Conservatory of Music and Nagaland Chamber Choir.
The soloists were Judy Senolos Honor (Soprano), Rubin Lukito (Tenor) and Visahu Peseyie (Bass) with Mrs Margaret Shishak as the organist and Zingrin Shishak as the pianist. The string ensembles were Ms Judy Tay, Ms Lydia Wong, Hope Centre for Excellence, Joey Woch Studio and Patkai Christian College. Despite the venue not providing the ambience of an auditorium either visually or with the acoustics, the choir led by Pastor Razo Vasa held people spell bound for two hours.
This was the first major concert in the city and the audience listened with rapt attention.
As the oratorio brought to life some familiar strains for the home crowd such as
“For Unto Us A Child is Born”, “I know that My Redeemer Liveth” the excitement to hear the “Hallehujah Chorus” was all the while building up amongst the crowd.
And when the first notes of the grand finale struck, the packed hall rose to their feet in keeping with tradition ( King George II of England is said to have stood up when he heard first heard this extraordinary movement and everyone else had to follow suit), and one believes equally in appreciation of a wonderful performance.
By the end one was left with the feeling that if bringing musical talent together can produce such excellent work surely the same can be done in other areas of our life.
‘Passion’ clearly inspired the enormous task , the thought itself which is challenging enough but to complete it on such a high note.
