Handel: Messiah Reimagined - Nativity & Epiphany

ARTEK
New York City period instrument ensemble
2026 Holiday Concert: Messiah Reimagined
Recorded live concert, January 1, 2026
Co-sponsored by ARTEK and Saint Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church

Program:
Messiah, Part I: Nativity
Music: George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Words: King James Bible (1611); Charles Jennens (1700-1773)

Sinfonia
Recitative accompagnato: Comfort ye
Air: Ev’ry valley shall be exalted
Andrew Fuchs, tenor
Chorus: And the glory of the Lord
Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall conceive
Air & Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings
Kim Leeds, mezzo-soprano
Recitative accompagnato: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
Air: The people that walked in darkness
Peter Becker, bass
Chorus: For unto us a child is born
Pifa
Recitative accompagnato: There were shepherds abiding in the field
Sarah Frei, soprano
Chorus: Glory to God
Air: Rejoice greatly
Sarah Frei, soprano
Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind
Duet: He shall feed His flock
Juli Borst, mezzo-soprano; Jenna Takach, soprano
Chorus: His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

Messiah, Part II: Epiphany
Music: George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), adapted Gwendolyn Toth
Words: King James Bible (1611); additional lyrics by Lawrence Rosenwald

Recitative accompagnato & Trio: Now when Jesus was born
Air: Bethlem set in Judah’s land (originally "Angels Bright and Fair" from Theodora)
Elisa Sutherland, mezzo-soprano
Trio: Kim Leeds, mezzo-soprano; Andrew Fuchs, tenor; Steven Hrycelak, bass
Recitative: And Herod sent the wise men
Air: Like hunters in the woodland (originally "Va tacito" from Giulio Cesare)
Recitative: When they had heard the king
Steven Hrycelak, bass; Stephanie Corwin, bassoon
Sinfonia (originally "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" from Solomon)
Recitative: And, lo, the star
Air: Let the bright star above (originally "Let the bright Seraphim" from Samson)
Christina Kay, soprano; John Thiessen, trumpet
Recitative accompagnato: And when they were come into the house
Chorus: Welcome infant king (originally "Welcome Mighty King" from Saul")
Recitative: And being warned of God
Christina Kay, soprano
Sinfonia (originally, Sinfonia to Act III, Occasional Oratorio)
Cynthia Freivogel, violin; Theresa Salomon, violin; Loretta O’Sullivan, cello
Recitative: When the days of Mary’s purification
Air: Sweet birds (originally "Sweet bird" from L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato)
Clara Rottsolk, soprano
David Ross, flute; Sang Joon (Fritz) Park, flute
Recitative: Behold, there was a man
Air: Come ye, angels (originally "Waft ye angels" from Jephtha)
Recitative: And he came by the Spirit
Richard Pittsinger, tenor
Duet & Chorus: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace (originally "De torrente in via" from Dixit Dominus)
Clara Rottsolk, soprano; Elisa Sutherland, mezzo-soprano
Chorus: Let their celestial concerts all unite (originally from Samson)

Artists:
Gwendolyn Toth, conductor & harpsichord
Sarah Frei, soprano
Christina Kay, soprano
Clara Rottsolk, soprano
Jenna Takach, soprano
Juli Borst, mezzo-soprano
Elisa Rutherford, mezzo-soprano
Andrew Fuchs, tenor
Richard Pittsinger, tenor
Steven Hrycelak, bass
Peter Becker, bass
Cynthia Freivogel, concertmaster
Theresa Salomon, principal violin 2
Alyssa Campbell, Ryan Cheng, Peter Kupfer, Francis Liu,
Rafa Prendergast, Jeremy Rhizor, violins
Dan McCarthy, principal viola
Andrea Andros, Bennett Mahler, violas
Loretta O’Sullivan, principal cello
Arnie Tanimoto, Nathan Whittaker, cellos
Jessica Powell Eig, double bass
David Ross, flute 1
Sang Joon (Fritz) Park, flute 2
Stephen Bard, oboe 1
Caroline Giassi, oboe 2
Stephanie Corwin, bassoon
John Thiessen, trumpet 1
Robby Garrison, trumpet 2
Danny Mallon, timpani
Daniel Swenberg, theorbo
Stephen Rapp, keyboard glockenspiel
Dongsok Shin, organ & recording producer

ARTEK concerts and events are made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.