Last night my Dear Husband and I went to a rip-snorting production of Handel's Messiah. I thought I had seen all the productions of Messiah that I wanted to, but the newspaper wrote that this one (by the Spire Chamber Ensemble) would feature original-style instruments and only 16 singers. Lured on a picture of what seemed to be recorders but turned out to be oboes, we went.

It was great! There were 16 singers, and they competently switched modes from soloist to choral. There was no class system (four soloists versus mere choristers).   Instead, any singer might step forth to do a solo. And some pieces were in a new voice. How nice it was to hear "...and I will sha-a-a-a-a-ke" sung by an agile contralto. And "How lovely are the feet of them" done by a tenor.

Speaking of contra, two pieces were done by a countertenor. I'd never heard that before.

This was at the Performing Arts Center in Kansas City, where the philanthropists squeezed us in like sardines. I didn't have enough leg-room, and I'm only 5'3".

When we got to the Hallelujah chorus, the audience rose to its feet with one giant Whump sound. (This was before they'd even played the first note.) I've decided that King George rose for the chorus because it's a splendid piece of music AND because he was dying to get off his chair. I know I was.

The applause was tremendous. Tell me, do people in other places whoop and roar like they're at a rodeo? Because that's what we did.
A few fools whistled, and I had to stop applauding and cover my ears. I hate that sound! It hurts. Other than that, it was one of the great musical events of my life.