There are so many holiday traditions that have sprung up around Handel's beloved work "Messiah," that many people don't realize Handel created a tradition of his own for the masterpiece.
"He performed 'Messiah' for charities," said J. Scott Featherstone, "and specifically, for children's charities."
Featherstone spent more than a decade writing the book "Hallelujah." "It's the story of Handel writing 'Messiah,' beginning with the years leading up to it, his success, to failure, writing the masterpiece, and the waning years of his life."
Featherstone was so impressed by Handel's history and work that he decided to put together a multimedia presentation about it — for charity. "I have been working with Carmen B. Pingree School for Children with Autism (and thought) what a great opportunity it would be to do some concerts and perform that in the way that he had intended, which is at a charity for children."
"Messiah, Handel's Gift to Children" is based on Featherstone's book and combines the Utah Chamber Artists (choir and orchestra) with a live actor (depicting Handel), still photos and film projection, and voiceovers. "Not only do people hear the music, but they get a flavor of Handel's experience of writing it, which makes this concert very unique. . . . It's history, it's drama and it's music. And the best part of that is the music. It carries itself on its own, and the rest of it is just some wonderful color and backstory and things like that."
Featherstone said Handel wrote "Messiah" when he was 56 years old, at a very low ebb of his life. "The obvious thing to do would be to perform it for his own benefit because he was in such desperate need of financial help of that time. And yet whenever he performed it, he performed it for different charities.
"He had men released from jail, from debtor's prison. But principally, the funds were used to benefit a foundling hospital, which was an orphanage for abandoned and deserted children."
He said that "Messiah" was his only work that was sanctioned off from the rest of his body of work and given to a particular party. "He gave a full handwritten score of 'Messiah' to the foundling hospital, so that even after he passed away, they could continue to perform that for benefit for that school. And the interesting part of that is that he amended his will just three days before he died to do that."
The funds raised by this performance, said Featherstone, will go to help families with autistic children offset the cost of tuition at the Carmen B. Pingree School for Children with Autism. It also helps the school pay back the cost of building the physical facility, which is just a few years old. Featherstone himself adapted and arranged the production. As one who professionally writes, directs and produces commercials and films, doing a project like this seemed a natural.
Last year, after the production's first performance, the show won a "Best of State" award for "Specialty Act." "The performance last year was everything that I have ever hoped for in regard to the music," Featherstone said. "I think that every person who attended just had an experience with 'Messiah' unlike any they had ever had before."
He added that the size of the orchestra and choir in this production — the Utah Chamber Artists — is roughly the same size that would have been used in Handel's time. The same performers who did the program last year, save Erin Morley, who will sing soprano. Michael Chipman will be the featured baritone and Tom Pike will play the part of Handel.
Featherstone said he plans to make a benefit concert of this production a yearly tradition.
If you go . . .
What: "Messiah, Handel's Gift to Children"
Where: Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah
When: Wednesday and Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
How much: $35
Phone: 581-7100
Web: www.Kingtix.com
To Benefit: Carmen B. Pingree School for Children with Autism
E-mail: rcline@desnews.com