Immersive Everywhere – the people behind some of the most epic immersive experiences in London (The Great Gatsby, Peaky Blinders: The Rise, and Doctor Who: Time Fracture) bought for one night only an incredible live performance to town called Handel’s Messiah: The Live Experience.
This was their first time putting on a show featuring classical music, but this exciting new approach was designed to augment the spirit and narrative of the work by including dance, lighting and visual effects- disrupt the arts, if you will.
It’s worth noting that the original Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (one of London’s oldest and most prominent theatres) was well known to Handel in the 1700s and his music remained popular there right up to the 1900s, with almost annual performances of Messiah. By choosing this stunning setting, recently lovingly restored by LW Theatres, Classical Everywhere brings Handel’s great work back to its roots, reclaiming it from the classical concert hall for a wider public once again.
What is Handel’s Messiah: The Live Experience?
Designed specifically to appeal to both lovers of classical music, and those who are new to the artform, Handel’s Messiah: The Live Experience aimed to launch a new style of classical music concert. One of the goals of Classical Everywhere is to bring classical music out of the stuffy, atmosphere of the concert hall into a high-speed, multimedia modern age. I mean, they definitely picked a big one to start with! Especially since let’s face it, it’s one of the most famous works ever written and the most chosen piece of music ever on Desert Island Discs.
The venue is nothing like you’ve ever seen before if you haven’t been to Theatre Royal before. It’s just stunning. The grandness of it all really gets you in the mood for an experience of a lifetime.
I hadn’t done much research beforehand so as I took my seat I flipped through my guide and I was delighted that the line up was incredible. It included Danielle de Niese (“opera’s coolest soprano” according to New York Times Magazine) and tenor Nicky Spence (winner of BBC Musician Magazine Personality of the Year 2022). Conductor Gregory Batsleer would be working his magic with both the English Chamber Orchestra and London Symphony Chorus.
What did I really think?
Honestly, I’m torn. The orchestra, choir and soloists were incredible. Truly, they are so talented and could not be faulted in any way. For someone who isn’t well versed in opera, I was mesmerised. It’s the other ‘immersive’ aspects that I wasn’t too keen on.
Choreographer Tom Jackson Greaves had three dancers (representing Rebel, Leader and Healing) performing contemporary dance just infront of the orchestra. Personally I found it distracting and I couldn’t understand the relevance. I’m also not keen on contemporary dance but my husband loved them and thought it worked well. As a third immersive aspect, two actors delivered ponderous lines about the precarious relationship between mother and child. Again, the talent was there but I just didn’t think these components gelled with the magnitude of the orchestra’s talent.
There was also a screen between the orchestra and choir, where design company flora & fauna visions projected a “multimedia creation” intending to represent a quasi-mystical view of humanity’s place in the cosmos. I did actually think it worked really well with the music.
Would I recommend it?
I really love what Classical Everywhere is trying to do. Opera, orchestra and I suppose, even choirs represent a part of the culture and arts that are not always for everyone, but why not? Although this was for one night only, I really hope they continue to put on more shows and blur the lines between audience and art form.
It really was a memorable performance and certainly one that will stay with me for many years to come!
Where: Royal Theatre at Drury Lane
When: 6th December 2022
More info: https://www.immersivehandelsmessiah.com
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I’m Rosie!
