Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall, Sunday 30th May
The Royal Choral Society’s annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, delayed from Good Friday to Sunday 30 May, 2.30pm at the Royal Albert Hall, conducted by Richard Cooke, is going ahead as planned.
The Royal Albert Hall will ensure that this concert goes ahead within government guidelines regarding Covid safety measures.
Our view, and that of the Royal Albert Hall, is that the Performing Arts guidance released by the DCMS on Tuesday 18 May, that states that non-professional singing indoors should only take place in a single group of up to 6 people, does not apply to professional activity. The Royal Choral Society’s choir is made up of amateur singers, however the environment is professional and the performers taking part in the presentation of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday 30 May will be behaving in a professional manner in front of a paying audience. We believe that this situation is within the guidelines.
All choir members taking part will have to present negative Covid test results to gain entry to the Hall. They will be 2m-distanced from each other at all times once inside the Hall, which will be well ventilated. To further restrict numbers on stage, the choir will be accompanied by Richard Pearce on the mighty Royal Albert Hall organ, rather than with an orchestra. Finally, the audience numbers will be restricted to just 800.
Choir members will continue testing after the concert, and the Royal Albert Hall will have details of all performers and audience through the NHS Test and Trace app, and through ticket booking details.
We are pleased to be able to support the Royal Albert Hall in its 150th year, particularly to be one of the first events after its reopening. We hope this concert will set an important precedent for the safety of future events, so that choirs can get back to singing together.
We stand with all choirs and singers who have been disappointed by the recent confusing advice from the DCMS, and we fully support the action being taking by musicians across the country to have the DCMS guidance clarified so that all amateur choirs can return to singing, which is such an important part of the musical life of the nation.
Concert & ticket information here.
