Every December, Columbus clears its throat. Opera Columbus’ Messiah Sing-Along takes Handel’s masterpiece out of the concert hall and into the city’s bars, cafés and gathering spots — scores in one hand, hot drink in the other, a professional core of singers and musicians leading a chorus of hundreds of neighbors.
No auditions, no pressure, no wrong notes that matter: the Sing-Along is the purest expression of Opera Columbus’ mission to put opera (and oratorio) back into everyday life. The “Hallelujah” chorus, sung standing by an entire room of strangers-turned-choir, reliably raises goosebumps and occasionally tears.
Dates and venues roll out each fall across the city — follow the music and bring a friend who swears they can’t sing.
Handel wrote it for charity in 1742. Columbus sings it for joy. Both work beautifully.
