The upcoming holiday program of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO) promises to be a spectacular musical celebration with performances of Handel’s majestic Messiah and timeless, uplifting Holiday Pops. The concerts will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale and at 4 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Barry University in Miami. The performances will be conducted by Sebrina María Alfonso, music director of SFSO. They will feature soloists Katherine Henly (soprano), Lisa Marie Rogali (mezzo-soprano), Chauncey Packer (tenor), and Neil Nelson (bass-baritone), along with the South Florida Symphony Chorus.
“South Florida Symphony Orchestra is elated to usher in the holiday season with our world-class musicians performing Handel’s majestic and inspirational Messiah,” Jacqueline Lorber says, president and CEO of South Florida Symphony Orchestra. “With dazzling special guest vocalists and Dr. Giselle Elgarresta Rios leading the South Florida Symphony Chorus, this holiday celebration is more than just a concert; it’s a warm and inviting tradition that unites our community in the spirit of the season for people of all ages to treasure.”
The 2023 holiday program of SFSO is set to begin with a collection of classic Holiday Pops festive favorites featuring popular tunes from The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Bocelli’s The Prayer, and audience sing-alongs. Following this, SFSO will present Part I of Handel’s Messiah. The performance will climax with the renowned “Hallelujah” chorus, which the South Florida Symphony Chorus will sing. The choir, directed by Dr. Giselle Elgarresta Rios, consists of accomplished chorale singers and community members. In 2019, Rios and Maestra Alfonso collaborated to establish the South Florida Symphony Chorus, which debuted at the Beethoven 250th celebration in February 2020.
The upcoming concerts at Broward Center for the Performing Arts will feature masterworks from composers such as Brahms, Bernstein, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and many more. In addition, Symphony premieres by trailblazing female composers Florence Price, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and Jessie Montgomery will also be performed. On March 3, SFSO will host a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The concert series will also include popular music performances, such as Maestra Alfonso conducting SFSO in a live performance of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ In Concert on April 5 and 6, and Classical Mystery Tour: A Symphonic Tribute to The Beatles on May 11, both of which are separately ticketed events.
For the December 2 concert of Handel’s Messiah at The Parker (707 NE 8th St, Fort Lauderdale), tickets start at $15. These tickets can be purchased online at Southfloridasymphony.org/handels-messiah/ or via the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at (954) 462-0222. On the other hand, for the December 3 performance at Barry University’s Shepard & Ruth K. Broad Performing Arts Center (11300 NE 2nd Ave in Miami Shores), tickets start at $20. They can be ordered online at Southfloridasymphony.org/handels-messiah/ or via phone at (954) 522-8445. Student tickets and group rates are also available by calling (954) 522-8445 or emailing info@southfloridasymphony.org.
