On the evening of Saturday April 6, the Armidale-based chamber choir Fiori Musicali, plus young soloists from the Sydney Conservatorium, will bring Handel's Baroque-era oratorio to Bellingen's Memorial Hall.

George Frederic Handel's Messiah was originally an Easter offering. It burst onto the stage of Musick Hall in Dublin on April 13, 1742. The audience swelled to a record 700, as ladies heeded pleas by management to wear dresses 'without hoops' in order to make 'room for more company'. 

Handel's superstar status was not the only draw; many also came to glimpse the contralto, Susannah Cibber, who was embroiled in a scandalous divorce.

Now, Messiah is usually a fixture of the Christmas season but Fiori Musicali will perform the work to celebrate Easter, like the original performance.

There is a well-known story of King George II attending a royal performance of Messiah and rising to his feet during the 'Hallelujah Chorus'. Whenever the king stood up, everyone in his presence had to stand, hence the whole audience rose to their feet as well. This has now become a tradition in Messiah performances.

There is little doubt about Handel's own fondness for the work. His annual benefit concerts for his favourite charity - London's Foundling Hospital, a home for abandoned and orphaned children - always included Messiah. And, in 1759, when he was blind and in failing health, he insisted on attending an April 6 performance of it at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. Eight days later, Handel was dead.

Fiori Musicali's performance of Messiah on April 6, which begins at 7pm, will include young soloists from the Sydney Conservatorium and professional string players from Armidale.

They will be performing Parts 1 and 3 of Handel's celebrated work, describing Christ's birth and resurrection.

Tickets are available online at www.trybooking.com or at the door (eftpos available).

There will also be a performance at the Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium on Saturday afternoon at 2pm.