Montana PBS presents the regions first period-instrument and highly crafted production of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, brought to life by Baroque Music Montana and the Roots in the Sky Chamber Choir.   Every detail you will hear—the gut strings, natural trumpets, harpsichord, and chamber organ—reflects the soundscape that audiences first encountered in 1742. The only baroque work to have been performed every year since its composition, this oratorio is known for its theatricality, its dramatic shifts from dark to light, and the epic, humanistic journey that comes to the forefront with a historically informed interpretation.  This voyage of comfort, inferno, uplift, and collective triumph will resonate with audiences of all ages and tastes across Montana. Messiah transcends its Baroque roots as one of the most popular and recognizable pieces of choral-orchestral music in the entire repertoire, and is accessible, popular, and familiar. 

Taped in the stunning sanctuary at Hope Lutheran Church in Bozeman, Montana, this performance gathers a nationally renowned quartet of grammy-award-winning soloists; Soprano Sarah Brailey, Mezzo-Soprano Elisa Sutherland, Tenor James Reese, and Baritone Edmund Milly. They are accompanied by Baroque Music Montana, an 18-member orchestra of coveted historic-instrument players from across the nation, and the premier Montana chamber choir, Roots in the Sky. Conductor Andrew Major says “This is an ambitious performance being produced by Montanans for Montanans. The fact that something of this scale is happening in Montana by musicians of this caliber is pretty astounding”. From Montana’s heart, a Baroque masterpiece is reborn—authentic, resonant, and timeless.