+++
author = ["authors/jenna.md"]
categories = "News"
date = "2015-11-27T17:59:00-05:00"
lastmod = "2015-11-28T20:18:00-05:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1448759320828/2015-11-29---Gabriel-Dharmoo-Cr%C3%A9dit-Jonathan-Goulet.jpg.jpg"
primary_image_credit = "Gabriel Dharmoo. Photo by Jonathan Goulet."
publishDate = "2015-11-29T09:00:00-05:00"
related_articles = ["articles/dont-miss-atgs-messiah.md"]
related_companies = ["scene/companies/soundstreams.md","scene/companies/toronto-symphony-orchestra.md","scene/companies/tafelmusik-baroque-orchestra-chamber-choir.md","scene/companies/against-the-grain-theatre.md"]
related_people = ["scene/people/carla-huhtanen.md","scene/people/ashlie-corcoran.md"]
short_description = "These days, you can hear your beloved Messiah any way you like it. Soundstreams is trying out a brand new way to hear Handel&#039;s ubiquitous, beloved work. On December 7 and 8, as part of their Ear Candy series, Soundstreams presents Electric Messiah, or, &quot;Handel goes Underground: A stripped down, surround-sound electro-improv Messiah for today’s Toronto.&quot;"
slug = "dont-miss-electric-messiah"
title = "Don&#039;t miss: Electric Messiah"
+++

These days, you can hear your beloved *Messiah* any way you like it. [Soundstreams](/scene/companies/soundstreams/) is trying out a brand new way to hear Handel's ubiquitous, beloved work. On December 7 and 8, as part of their [Ear Candy](http://www.soundstreams.ca/performances/ear-candy/) series, Soundstreams presents [*Electric Messiah*](http://www.soundstreams.ca/performances/ear-candy/electric-messiah/), or, "Handel goes Underground: A stripped down, surround-sound electro-improv *Messiah* for today’s Toronto." 

If it sounds interesting, you're right. Staged cabaret-style, by dramaturg [Ashlie Corcoran](/scene/people/ashlie-corcoran/) and lighting designer [Patrick Lavender](http://ttdb.ca/people/patrick-lavender/), at the [Drake Hotel](http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/) Underground, [*Electric Messiah*](http://www.soundstreams.ca/performances/ear-candy/electric-messiah/) is a new way of looking at Handel's ubiquitous work from 1741. 

"Musically, we’re hoping the feel will be something like a mashup of Handel, Bjork, and Kubrick’s *2001 Space Odyssey*," says Kyle Brenders, curator of the Ear Candy series and Soundstreams Artistic Associate. "We’ll also celebrate *Messiah* as a community experience, and are excited to push audience immersion further outside of a conventional concert hall." 

Selections of *Messiah* will be stripped down to their "barest essentials", and four singers, with guitar and electronics, bring their own artistic styles and backgrounds to the stage. Featured are [Gabriel Dharmoo](https://www.musiccentre.ca/node/37905/biography), South Indian sound poet, [Christine Duncan](http://www.barnyardrecords.com/bio%20christine.html), improvisation specialist, Maliseet musician [Jeremy Dutcher](https://twitter.com/jdutcher_music), and Finnish-Canadian soprano [Carla Huhtanen](/scene/people/carla-huhtanen/). Finally, turntable artist [SlowPitch Sound](http://www.slowpitchsound.com/) will "weave his magic throughout, mixing in *Messiah* old and new in humorous and poignant response to the other performers."

<figure data-type="image">{{% md %}}![](https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1448759479022/2015-11-29---SlowPitch-Sound.jpg.jpg)
<figcaption>Turntable artist SlowPitch Sound.</figcaption>
</figure>

When it comes to Handel's *Messiah*, Toronto is suffering an embarrassment of riches. After you catch [*Electric Messiah*, December 7-8th](http://www.soundstreams.ca/performances/ear-candy/electric-messiah/), go check out the [Toronto Symphony Orchestra](/scene/companies/toronto-symphony-orchestra/)'s  grand, Roy-Thomson-Hall-sized [*Messiah*](http://www.tso.ca/en-ca/concerts-and-tickets/2015-2016-Season/EventDetails/Messiah.aspx) (Dec. 15-20); or [Tafelmusik](http://www.tafelmusik.org/concerts-tickets/handels-messiah)'s historical *Messiah* (Dec. 16-19), (including their annual [Sing-Along](http://www.tafelmusik.org/concert-calendar/concert/sing-along-messiah-massey-hall-0#overlay-context=concert-calendar/concert/handels-messiah) on Dec. 20...so fun), or [Against the Grain Theatre](/scene/companies/against-the-grain-theatre/)'s barefoot, choreographed night of Handel over beer and poutine, with [*AtG's Messiah*](http://againstthegraintheatre.com/messiah/) (Dec. 16-19).

\#Messiah.

>For details and ticket information about Soundstreams' *Electric Messiah*, follow the box office links below.



