“When Alan Birney established the Camerata Singers in 1972, one of the goals was to perform Handel’s ‘Messiah’ every other year,” says Eduardo Azzati, Camerata Singers Conductor and Artistic Director.

“With exception of the COVID years, we’ve maintained that goal. We are also pleased to note that 2024 marks the 282nd anniversary of the first performance of Handel’s masterpiece,” Azzati says.

The Camerata Singers present “Messiah,” 7 p.m. Dec. 14, First Presbyterian Church, Allentown.

Considered an oratorio, “Messiah” is a large-scale work for orchestra, soloists and chorus with a religious theme.

Composed in 1741, it took Handel a mere 24 days to complete his 259-page manuscript of the “Messiah,” comprising three parts on a text by Charles Jennens and totaling 53 movements. It’s an amazing feat, even by today’s standards.

There are only two movements which are purely instrumental. The remaining movements feature passages from the King James version of the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.

Part One, known as the Christmas portion, deals with the prophecies and events surrounding the birth of Jesus. A reflection of God’s plan to redeem mankind through a Messiah, it features passages from the books of Isaiah, Haggai, Malachi, Matthew, Luke and Zechariah.

An intermission follows the conclusion of Part One.

Part Two, the Easter portion, concentrates on the Passion of Jesus and recounts the sacrifice of Jesus and the rejection of God’s offer by mankind. Source passages are from the books of John, Isaiah, Psalms, Lamentations, Hebrews and Romans.

It is in Part Two that one finds the famous “Hallelujah” chorus. Its text is from the book of Revelation.

There will be an intermission following Part Two.

Part Three covers the Apostle Paul’s teachings on the Resurrection of the dead and Christ’s glorification in heaven. It is a hymn of thanksgiving for the defeat of Death with texts derived from the books of Job, 1 Corinthians, Romans and Revelation.

Initially considered a work to celebrate Easter and programmed during the season of Lent, it was not until 1818 that “Messiah” became associated with Advent and Christmas.

“Most often, audiences generally only hear one part of the ‘Messiah,’” says Azzati. “The Camerata Singers provide audiences the opportunity to enjoy and reflect upon the entire oratorio.”

In addition to the Camerata Singers, music accompaniment is provided by musicians of the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra and featured guest soloists soprano Katelyn Grace Jackson, countertenor Roger O. Isaacs, tenor Rufus Müller and bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca.

Katelyn Grace Jackson, soprano, grew up in Berks County and has spent a good portion of her singing career in Washington, D.C. She has performed as soloist with the American Bach Soloists, Washington Bach Consort, Cathedral Choral Society, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, the Handel Choir of Baltimore and the Peabody Symphony Orchestra.

Jackson received a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Maryland, College Park, Md., and a Master of Music in Historical Performance: Voice from The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.

Roger O. Isaacs is from Cape Town, South Africa, where he studied at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town. He enjoyed a highly successful solo career in his native country, performing repertoire from early music to works by 20th century composers.

Since making his American solo debut, he has performed as soloist with many prominent choral organizations and as a countertenor has been hailed for his vocal quality and mastery of baroque style. Past performances include solo appearances in Claudio Monteverdi’s “Vespers of 1610,” Bach’s “Mass in B Minor,” Handel’s “Israel in Egypt” and “Messiah,” and Vivaldi’s “Stabat Mater.”

In demand for oratorio and opera, tenor Rufus Müller has worked with many leading conductors, including Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Trevor Pinnock, and has performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and The Academy of Ancient Music.

Müller, born in Kent, England, was a choral scholar at New College, Oxford. In 1985, he won first prize in the English Song Award in Brighton and in 1999 was a prize winner in the Oratorio Society of New York Singing Competition.

Filipino-American bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca has performed more than 100 oratorios, new music works, opera roles, song cycles and collections. During the 2024-2025 season, he is making his debut with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Symphony Most recently, he debuted at BachFest in Leipzig, Germany, with Bach Collegium San Diego and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.

Lagasca maintains a vocal studio and conducts visiting artist residencies at Southern Virginia University, Amherst College and Colgate University. He studied at the University of the Philippines and Mannes School of Music, New York, N.Y.

Conductor and Artistic Director Eduardo Azzati joined the Camerata Singers in January with more than 35 years of experience as voice instructor, vocal coach, choral and instrumental conductor, singer, music educator and keyboardist.

Azzati, on the music faculty at Muhlenberg College, is Choral Director of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. During his 25-year tenure at Moravian University, he was Artist-Lecturer in Voice and Conducting. For 14 seasons, he was director of the Moravian University Women’s Chorus.

Azzati received a Bachelor’s in Music with specialization in choral conducting from Juan Josè Castro State Conservatory of Music, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a Master’s in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Princeton, N.J.

Camerata Singers, “Messiah,” 7 p.m. Dec. 14, First Presbyterian Church, 3231 W. Tilghman St., Allentown; Tickets: PSO office, 1524 W. Linden St., Allentown; 610-434-7811; http://www.pacameratasingers.org/tickets.html

“Classical View” is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com