Handel's Messiah Performed in Three Languages

For the fifth consecutive year, a local ensemble of volunteer musicians and theatrical interpreters for the deaf will perform Handel’s beloved Messiah at the Kent Concert Hall at Utah State University at 7 p.m. April 8.

Since its inception this unique multicultural presentation has only been performed in Logan. Due to its success, the multicultural chorus and orchestra is expanding its reach outside of Cache Valley by performing April 7 at Peery’s Egyptian Theater in Ogden.

 

The performance provides a high-quality cultural event for the northern Utah community at large, and both hearing and deaf audiences, whether English or Spanish speaking, have called past performances of the multicultural Messiah a success both musically and theatrically. This year more than 20 theatrical interpreters of the deaf will be on stage with more than 150 musicians.

 

This one-of-a-kind cultural event is for the entire community and helps raise money to support an annual humanitarian healthcare mission to remote areas of Mexico. Students and faculty in audiology and speech language-pathology from the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education will travel to two different sites in Mexico in early May and provide evaluations, create innovative communication devices and fit over 40 individuals with hearing aids donated by one of the world’s largest manufacturers.

 

All proceeds from the production will help support these humanitarian missions. For information about either trip or to make a donation to the trips, contact Heather Jensen, hjensen@cc.usu.edu, or Beth Foley, beth.foley@cc.usu.edu, or call (435) 797-1375.

 

USU professor John Ribera, organizer and conductor of the multicultural Messiah, conceived of the idea after moving to Utah to teach at Utah State University. The concept spawned from the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus, the story of a would-be composer whose son is deaf from birth. Eventually accepting the situation, he learns to sign to his son in order for him to enjoy music.

 

Tickets will be available at the door for $5 in Logan and $7.50 in Ogden. This event is not recommended for children under 8 years old.