12.12.2006

The Golden Tickets

Since I was a freshman in college, one of my favorite Christmas things has been Handel's Messiah. The faculty of Ricks College would be so glad to know that their little cultural arts requirement for graduation really worked to bring a little culture and music and beauty to a small town girl who might not otherwise have known what an oratorio is.

Back in 1999, when I lived in Salt Lake City, I went to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing Messiah. I went alone the first night and it was so beautiful, I got tickets for the next night. I wanted to share it with someone, so I asked a guy who had picked up on me in Sunday School a couple weeks before. Handel would be so glad to know that his great masterpiece served as a tool for winnowing out prospective relationships. The guy was bored and seriously asked to leave at the midpoint. In his defense, Handel may have been too heavy a requirement for a second date, but shoot. I'm worth it and he failed the classical music litmus test. Didn't even call...

Since moving here to DC, I've known about a free Sing-Along Messiah at the Kennedy Center. You have to go a couple weeks in advance to stand in line for tickets. Then when you go to the performance, they give you pretty much the whole score. Special soloists still sing all the solo parts, but the audience sings the rest. How cool is that? It has been my dream every year to go, but something has happened every ticket day, every year, that kept me from being able to go.

But guess where I was on Saturday? Yep, standing in this line. (It wrapped around three sides of the Kennedy Center - I was toward the end.)


And guess where I'll be next Sunday night? Yep, singing Messiah with my husband in the Kennedy Center. I am so excited!!! My little Christmas dream is coming true. And you'll notice that this time I married the guy before making him sit through it. He can't just not call.

In all seriousness, I think one of the most beautiful and spiritual things ever is when scripture is set to astounding music. Where one might not always reach your heart on its own, the other will. Both together are golden.

I am so excited to make this Christmas memory!

9 comments:

Angela said...

"He can't just not call"
HAHAHAHAHAHA! You're funny!

"Both together are golden"
Amen.
I love The Messiah as well. I think I may have acquired some of that love from you. I remember you telling me one of your professors had said that standing ovations were to be given sparingly and you personally should only give one once a year. You reserved yours for The Messiah. It's probably the one thing that can consistently get me on my feet, almost involuntarily.
I'm gonna go find my cd....
Have fun! I'm glad you get to go. With a hot guy, no less!

Anonymous said...

That's awesome! I can only imagine how wonderful that massive sound will be. Have fun and come back and tell us all about it.

the lizness said...

I love the Messiah.

The real one and the musical one

WAY TO GO Code Yellow Dad!

Katrina @ Callapidder Days said...

Oh it sounds wonderful!! Have a great time - can't wait to hear all about it.

Oh - and good strategy with marrying the guy first. :)

Super Happy Girl said...

Congrats for the super fun you'll have and the Code Yellow Dad.
You lucky Coded Mom you.

smart mama said...

ohh jealous--

"though we like sheep" is my favorite part!

Anonymous said...

That sounds really amazing - congratulations!

Anonymous said...

What an opportunity. Messiah was definitely inspired. Somehow it just sounds so much cooler being able to do it in DC, instead of Vancouver, Washington.

For a long time we had that going here, too, but it's been replaced by Festival of Nativities, which is also cool.

Millie

Unknown said...

I also love a good sing-along Messiah. A friend of mine used to sing the solos, so another friend and I would go and sing for ourselves and watch her. It's so fun!