‘Messiah’ to be performed in English, Spanish and Sign
When George Frederick Handel wrote his greatest work titled “Messiah” he had already suffered a stroke and had been limited to very little movement. After living a life of affluence because of his music, he wanted to give something back to the God he believed blessed him with success.
This year’s multicultural production of Handel’s “Messiah” will be sung in English and Spanish as interpreters sign the words. Famous historical paintings depicting the life of Christ will be displayed on a giant screen during this year’s fourth annual production to be held at the Kent Concert Hall on Friday and Saturday evening.
More than 150 singers, musicians and interpreters – most from Utah State University – have been laboring since January to put the production together. Members have come from as far away as Springville for the once-a-week practices. Musicians and soloists auditioned for parts.
Handle’s “Messiah” will feature 10 theatrical interpreters communicating in American Sign Language. Six of the interpreters are deaf.
“This year is going to be the best ever,” said Andrew Beck, a junior majoring in deaf education and an interpreter for the Messiah during the past two years. “Having deaf interpreters adds to the quality of the translation and they are able to translate difficult passages better than the rest of us can.”
The Messiah, traditionally sung in English, will also include a chorus sung in Spanish.
“This production is an outreach to English speakers, as well as Latino,” said John Ribera, the organizer and director. “This music has not been translated into Spanish anywhere else.”
Soloist True Rubal is a USU staffer and member on the Institutional Review Board. Another soloist is Jamie Gibson, a Brigham Young University graduate who suffers from a genetic skin disease that makes singing painful.
“She has made lemonade out of lemons,” said Ribera. “She has a beautiful voice.”
“Messiah” centers on the prophecy of Christ’s birth, life, works and crucifixion. It concludes with his resurrection. Throughout the production, more than 140 paintings that coincide with the Messiah text will be featured on a big screen.
Both the works of art and the signing are impressive and will add different dimensions to the audience, Beck said, adding that the paintings provide a nice visual effect for people who cannot hear.
The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education is sponsoring the production.
The show begins at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is free.
Contributions are greatly appreciated. Donations will go to support the annual Hearing Healthcare Humanitarian mission to Mexico.
Also, DVDs of the Multicultural Messiah may be ordered at the show. All proceeds from the sales will go to the mission in Mexico.
-bshepherd@cc.usu.edu