Christmas classical concert: Handel’s Messiah at Manchester Cathedral

If you’re looking for a night out that’ll get you feeling Christmassy just as the festive season begins, this choral concert at Manchester Cathedral could be for you.

Handel’s Messiah is synonymous with this time of year and this annual performance by Manchester Baroque and the Manchester Cathedral Choir has become an established tradition. Held on Saturday 28 November (the day before the first Sunday in Advent) it’s perfectly timed to mark the real start of Christmas, rather than the commercial start which seems to be sometime in August nowadays.

Handel premiered the Messiah in Dublin in 1742 and it’s been performed ever since. Even if you’re not a huge classical music fan, you’ll know the familiar Hallelujah chorus and you’ll feel the shivers it sends down your spine.

Hearing the Manchester Cathedral Choir, with their pure, clear voices, is the ideal way to experience this sublime piece, and the beautiful, atmospheric setting of Manchester Cathedral makes it even more powerful. The concert will be led by choir leader Christopher Stokes and Manchester Baroque’s artistic director, Pauline Nobes.

You could combine the concert with a trip to the Christmas Markets which will be lighting up the city by then. It’ll be a lovely moment of peace and reflection before you get swept up in the busyness ahead.

Tickets start from £15.75 (£10.75 for over-60s and students). Book early to get the best prices and seats.