The Messiah (or "Messiah") HWV 56, is an Oratorio composed by G.F. Haendel in 1741, with a lscriptural text by Charles Jennens, taken from the King James Bible and from the version of the psalms included with the Book of common prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere nearly a year later. For Haendel's views on the interpretation of Messiah, we have to look at the 1749 performances of this work. The Arias "who may abide" and "Thou art gone up on High" were sung by a male Alto (Gaetano Guadagni). In the 1954 performance at the hospital these arias where transposed for a Soprano Voice. The originality and dramatic impact (particularly in the Arias, notably "He was despised" and "The people that walked in Darkness" (and its preceding recitative" For, behold, Darkness shall cover the earth") stands out from other Haendel's Oratorios.
