Opera by Request and No Strings Theatre are collaborating on their 3 penny Messiah, a smaller scale alternative to what is offered from big groups such as Tafelmusik or the Toronto Symphony, one performance December 7th and a singalong December 8th.

3 penny Messiah is co-produced by Denise Williams, recently named among 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women of 2024, and Music Directed by William Shookhoff. I wanted to ask him about the project.

Barczablog: Have you ever done this before (whether in Toronto or elsewhere)?

William: In Parry Sound, with Brenda Muller’s Whispering River Music, over ten years ago now.  Was very successful and they’ve continued the tradition, I believe.

Barczablog: Please tell me more about your co-producers No Strings Theatre .

William: I’ve worked with No Strings Theatre and its founding Artistic Director Denise Williams off and on almost since their inception 20 years ago.  Denise has been active in developing new talent, and has divided her efforts between new creations and traditional presentation. 

William: We have co-produced Amahl and the Night Visitors several times over the holiday season and will be doing that again this year in January.  Over the last three summers we’ve co-presented a summer Young Artist Program with outdoor performances in Adjala Township, north of Toronto.  Plans are already underway for 2025.

By the way Denise was recently named one of Canada’s 100 Outstanding Black Women.

Barczablog: Does a smaller venue mean better sound? And not just acoustics, but would it likely be more coherent, easier for us to hear the parts? 

William: I’m looking to make this a friendly, intimate presentation, closer to the original Dublin performances than the subsequent Covent Garden presentations which followed.  I expect there to be a fair amount of immediate reaction from the audience, and a less formal atmosphere than is sometimes the case.

Barczablog: Do you expect to fill the space? It’s not that big. 

William: Certainly hope to.  With a chorus that far exceeded my expectations in size, and soloists with their own following, plus the loyal patrons of the two organizations, a full house would be wonderful and not out of the question.

Barczablog: I’ve gone to the Herr Handel fun singalong Messiah with Tafelmusik a couple of times…

Did you ever attend anyone else’s singalong?

William: Once, long ago, in a church in South London, England.  Great enthusiasm and participation.  The late Elizabeth Connell took the time off from her operatic career to be a stalwart participant.

Barczablog: OMG I am (or I was) a huge fan of her singing.

What instrumentation will you have, how big is the chamber choir and what’s the maximum size of the singalong (ie, how many seats in the audience?)

William: String quartet, keyboard, trumpet and oboe.  30 voices.  With a squeeze, 200 audience is possible.

Barczablog: are you conducting or playing a keyboard (piano or organ)? 

William: Emulating Herr Handel by conducting from the keyboard, Yamaha’s equivalent of a harpsichord.

Barczablog: How much of the Messiah will you include, will you have any choral numbers that the singalong omits?  

William: Omitting some of the less familiar choruses from Parts II and III, eg, Let all the angels of God; Since by Man Came Death

Barczablog: will you organize the seating by vocal section? (they do that at Massey Hall, so that tenors sit with tenors, etc etc AND one can simply opt out and sit among non-singers) 

William: Not specifically, but since many solos will be taken by choristers, I’m hoping our four principal soloists might encourage some audience participation by sitting amongst them.

Barczablog: what is your favorite number (whether choral or solo)?

William: O thou that tellest.  I’ve always been struck by its simplicity and poignancy.  When I first heard Messiah, age 12, it’s the number I came away singing.

Barczablog: will you sing along yourself? 

William: If the spirit moves me and things are under control.

Barczablog: what’s your vocal type? 

William: Limited baritone

Barczablog: I saw text on your Facebook page saying the following: please unpack this
“Then and now: proceeds from the first performances of Messiah were used to free hundreds of indebted prisoners. Today’s performances help to pay off debts of struggling performers and indebted arts organizations. Two such performances taking place December 7th and 8th at College St United Church. Details available via Opera by Request and No Strings Theatre.” 

William: It’s a little bit tongue-in-cheek.  I know a lot of singers have looked to Messiah over the year as “paying the rent,” but in reality I don’t expect our proceeds will go very far.  However, I think it’s important to remember that, over the centuries, classical music performances have been held as charitable events, helping flood victims, refugees, restoring properties damaged by fire or other phenomena.  We’ve seen a lot of that in recent years, and expect that will continue.  OBR and NST have from time to time engaged in such participation during their histories.

Barczablog: what’s the price of admission to the concerts? 

William: $25 on Saturday. 
Sunday’s performance has a PWYC option.
Click for tickets

Barczablog: Please share names of the performers.

William: Soloists
Roanna Kitchen — soprano
Meagan Reimer — mezzo-soprano
Avery Krisman — tenor
Cesar Bello — baritone

The players, some of whom played in Dvorak’s Jakobin, are as follows:
violins:  Xiaoling Li and Anna Protosova. 
violas: Lucy Gelber, Fanny Tang. 
Cello:  Hyemee Yang. 
Oboe:  Hazel Boyle. 
Trumpets:  Tim Birtch, Roy Feuerherdt. 
Keyboard, music director: William Shookhoff.

Barczablog Will it become an annual event? 

William: Let’s see what transpires.  Would be wonderful.