By Stephen Spark
Years after audiences were dazzled by Carnival Messiah, there’s a chance to watch a film of Geraldine Connor’s epic reimaging of Handel’s great oratorio.
This is a chance to recapture the excitement of a performance that took place at Harewood House in 2007 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the passing of the Act to abolish the slave trade. It includes fascinating glimpses behind the scenes as well as high-definition footage of the costumes, which of course drew on Carnival masquerade traditions and styles.
In a trailer for the film, Connor described Carnival Messiah as bringing together Western European and West Indian cultures. “It’s about bringing people together of all races… it’s a message that this world really needs to take on board.”
Carnival Messiah was first performed at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds in 1999, so it is fitting that the film will be shown at the same venue at 7pm on Saturday 16 September.
Tickets, at £10, are available from the Playhouse website, www.wyp.org.uk. Be sure to check out the What’s On section (www.wyp.org.uk/about/whats-on) which has details of several Leeds Carnival-related events.
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