Messiah, by the Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström, was commissioned by the Oregon Bach Festival and the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart to commemorate the 2009 Handel anniversary year. The work is based on Charles Jennen’s English libretto that Handel set in his famous oratorio. Many critics believe this Messiah to be worthy of the original from 260 years ago, and we were thrilled to share the stage with new friends at the New England Philharmonic in its first performance on the East Coast!