East Sussex Community Choir offers Haydn's The Creation

Spokeswoman Catherine Sandbrook said: “Audiences will have the opportunity to experience an exhilarating evening in the company of the East Sussex Community Choir. Haydn’s Creation – widely regarded as his greatest masterpiece – uses dramatic musical storytelling to recount the creation of the world in seven days, using texts from the Book of Genesis, the psalms and Milton’s Paradise Lost set to a thrilling score.

"The oratorio’s opening depiction of chaos leads into the spine-tingling ‘and there was Light’, a dramatic moment which caused a sensation at the work’s first public performance and still has equal power to move three centuries later. It goes on to portray the exquisite beauty of nature in the creation of flora and fauna and then of mankind and closes with a lyrical and poetic depiction of Adam and Eve in Paradise before the Fall. It is a joyful, uplifting and theatrical work, with a wide appeal to music lovers of all kinds. The characters in the piece, the archangels Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael, and Adam and Eve, are taken by three outstanding professional soloists: Alexandra Kidgell (soprano), Mark Dobell (tenor), and Jozik Kotz (bass). The orchestra is led by Chris Phipps, and the performance is conducted by Nicholas Houghton.”

Catherine added: “East Sussex Community Choir is a non-audition, 100-strong choir based in Lewes, performing a classical repertoire. This performance is supported by generous sponsorship from local businesses including Herbert Scott Financial Services who are running a spectacular Prize Draw for the audience, the Foundation Stage Forum, Marston Barrett Ltd and Harvey’s Brewery and by a grant from Lewes Town Council. Tickets via tinyurl.com/haydn2024 or via eastsussexcommunitychoir.org or from Lewes TIC. Under 18s are free.”

East Sussex Community Choir is a large, thriving, friendly, no audition choir singing classical music. It is open to all.