Handel’s Messiah Comes to St Cross This Christmas
There are some pieces of music that seem to belong to Christmas. And there are some places where hearing them feels particularly special.
This December, the two come together when The Hanover Band brings Handel’s Messiah to the Chapel at the Hospital of St Cross for what promises to be a rather magical evening.
On Friday 18 December at 7pm, The Hanover Band and The Hanover Band Chorus will perform Handel’s great oratorio on original instruments, conducted by Robert Howarth and featuring soprano Phillipa Hyde.
For those who already know and love Messiah, this is a chance to hear a familiar masterpiece in surroundings that seem made for it. And if your knowledge begins and ends with the famous Hallelujah Chorus, this could be a wonderful introduction.
Music with the chorus at its heart
First performed in the 18th century, Messiah has become one of Handel’s best-loved works – filled with moments of extraordinary energy alongside passages of stillness and reflection.
While many oratorios place their soloists firmly in the spotlight, Messiah gives the chorus a starring role. The Hanover Band describes music that moves from the demanding fugue of He trusted in God to the stillness and wonder of Worthy is the Lamb, before reaching one of the most instantly recognisable moments in classical music: the Hallelujah Chorus.
There is, of course, a long tradition of audiences standing for the Hallelujah. The popular story is that King George II was so moved by the music that he rose to his feet and, because the King was standing, everybody else had to follow.
Unfortunately for a very good story, there’s no contemporary evidence that it actually happened.
So, as The Hanover Band rather reassuringly puts it, standing is strictly optional.
A very special setting
The setting for this performance will be every bit as memorable as the music.
The Chapel at St Cross has stood here for centuries, and its stone, soaring arches and extraordinary sense of stillness make it an atmospheric place at any time of year. On a December evening, filled with the sound of an orchestra and chorus performing one of the great works of the Baroque repertoire, it should be something else entirely.
The use of original instruments adds another dimension. The Hanover Band specialises in historically informed performance, bringing audiences closer to the colours and character the music would have had when it was first heard.
There is something rather wonderful about hearing music from the past brought vividly to life within a building that has witnessed so much history of its own.
A Christmas evening at St Cross
For almost 900 years, hospitality has been part of life at St Cross. We’re therefore particularly delighted to be welcoming The Hanover Band, its Chorus and audiences through our gates for this special performance.
Whether Messiah is part of your own Christmas tradition, you’ve always wanted to hear it performed live, or you simply fancy doing something rather beautiful in the run-up to Christmas, this is an evening to put in the diary.
Handel’s Messiah – The Hanover Band
Friday 18 December 2026, 7pm
The Chapel, Hospital of St Cross, Winchester SO23 9SD
Performed by The Hanover Band and The Hanover Band Chorus on original instruments, conducted by Robert Howarth and featuring soprano Phillipa Hyde.
Tickets are available here: https://www.ticketsource.com/thehanoverbandfoundation/messiah/e-kkodqa
