I just did my third Handel's Messiah concert in the past three years, and this time it was done with Opera Victoria, accompanied by the Victorian Orchestra. It was part of their Sing Your Own Opera occasions - they happen once a year - and this time they chose Messiah (next year they're doing The Magic Flute). It's open to anyone who wants to buy a ticket and come along, so the quality of choristers is invariably mixed - although most people already belong to a choir and know a few things about music.
Basically, we spent about two and a half hours rehearsing some of the more famous chorus bits from Messiah, adjourned for 90 minutes for dinner, and returned to do a 90-minute "concert".
We had about 500 people acting as chorus, straining their throats, and singing Messiah - not for money or fame, just for the sheer joy of the song and the music. It was an awesome sound and an awesome feeling. Anyway, don't mind me. I'm just raving...
