South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO), led by Sebrina María Alfonso, returns to illuminate and inspire joy this holiday season with its beloved performances of Handel’s glorious Messiah (Part 1, the Christmas portion) culminating in the iconic “Hallelujah” chorus, and timeless uplifting Holiday Pops on December 8, at 4 p.m., at Barry University in Miami. SFSO will be joined by vocal soloists Rachel Blaustein (soprano), Lisa Marie Rogali (mezzo-soprano), Norman Shankle (tenor) and Rafael Porto (bass-baritone) and the South Florida Symphony Chorus.

Each season, orchestras the world over delight in performing one of classical music’s most well-known and uplifting masterworks. Jonathan Kandell of Smithsonian magazine writes, “A musical rite of the holiday season, the Baroque-era oratorio still awes listeners 250 years after the composer’s death.” In 1789, Mozart posthumously paid Handel the supreme compliment of reorchestrating Messiah but even Mozart confessed himself to be humble in the face of Handel’s genius describing his orchestrations: “When he chooses, he strikes like a thunderbolt.” In 1823, Beethoven proclaimed Handel to be the ‘greatest’ composer that ever lived.

SFSO’s 2024 holiday program will open with a selection of Holiday Pops festive favorites including “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Ocho Kandalikas,” “Ave Maria” (Schubert), and “Dreidel Song.” Audiences are also invited to sing along to a special medley of cherished classics – “Jingle, Bells,” “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World” and more.

Per tradition, SFSO will close the joyous evening with Part I of Handel’s Messiah culminating with the iconic “Hallelujah” chorus as sung by the South Florida Symphony Chorus, made-up of seasoned chorale singers and community talent, directed by Dr. Giselle Elgarresta Rios. Rios and Maestra Alfonso collaborated to create the South Florida Symphony Chorus in 2019, which made its debut at the Beethoven 250th celebration in February of 2020.

Now in its 27th season, SFSO invites audiences to a tantalizing lineup of Icons & Rebels performances featuring upcoming works by Mozart, Strauss and Berlioz, plus an eagerly anticipated orchestra premiere of Bernstein’s satirical masterpiece Candide. The concerts will take place in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Key West.

From sold-out masterworks performances to accompanying today’s musicians such as Natalie Merchant and performing modern musical scores, South Florida’s largest symphonic orchestra is continuing its journey of excellence by inspiring audiences of all ages and musical genres. This season’s popular collaborations have included performances with ARRIVAL From Sweden: The Music of ABBA and of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, featuring the iconic film screened live with audio and musical accompaniment.

Tickets for Handel’s Messiah start at $25 (plus fees) for the December 8 performance at Barry University’s Shepard & Ruth K. Broad Performing Arts Center (11300 NE 2nd Ave in Miami Shores). Order 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.