The Morton Community Chorus, of Morton, IL, has been performing Handel's Messiah annually for many, many years. Although, "Morton" is in the name, it is perhaps a misnomer, as people from all over Central Illinois regularly participate in the choir and orchestra.
The annual production of Messiah will be performed Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 2:30 pm at Grace Church in Morton, IL., with a piano/organ prelude by Dr. John Orfe beginning at 2:10 pm. Although Grace Church graciously allows us to use their beautiful sanctuary, our annual productions of Messiah are community events, performed by the Morton Community Choir and Orchestra. A free-will offering will be taken during the Pastoral Symphony. Or, you can give online! The Morton Fine Arts Association has graciously agreed to handle online donations for us. 100% of all gifts will go toward providing our quality productions of Messiah. Donate Here.
Listen to the wonderful radio spot produced and played on WBNH Radio, 88.5 FM! Thank you, Jim Huber, Daniel Cushman and WBNH! Listen here.
See a few pictures and videos from last year's 2017 performance here.
WCBU FM Peoria Public Radio and Arts Partners of Central Illinois radio program "Out And About" interviewed Phil Witzig regarding Messiah 2015. Although about a past performance, it nonetheless has some interesting dialog regarding the production in general. Listen here.
The annual production of Messiah will be performed Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 2:30 pm at Grace Church in Morton, IL., with a piano/organ prelude by Dr. John Orfe beginning at 2:10 pm. Although Grace Church graciously allows us to use their beautiful sanctuary, our annual productions of Messiah are community events, performed by the Morton Community Choir and Orchestra. A free-will offering will be taken during the Pastoral Symphony. Or, you can give online! The Morton Fine Arts Association has graciously agreed to handle online donations for us. 100% of all gifts will go toward providing our quality productions of Messiah. Donate Here.
Listen to the wonderful radio spot produced and played on WBNH Radio, 88.5 FM! Thank you, Jim Huber, Daniel Cushman and WBNH! Listen here.
See a few pictures and videos from last year's 2017 performance here.
WCBU FM Peoria Public Radio and Arts Partners of Central Illinois radio program "Out And About" interviewed Phil Witzig regarding Messiah 2015. Although about a past performance, it nonetheless has some interesting dialog regarding the production in general. Listen here.
2018 Soloists:
Rebecca Opperman, Soprano - Rebecca Opperman, soprano, completed her graduate studies in Vocal Performance at ISU in 2013; while there Rebecca studied with Dr. Vought and was a graduate assistant in voice. After graduating, she also taught studio voice as a temporary faculty member for the spring 2014 term. During her graduate years, she co-directed Opera Practicum at ISU and performed scenes from La Boheme as Musetta. Rebecca also performed scenes as Adele from Die Fledermaus and the title role in Lakme. In addition, she was a soloist with the ISU early music ensemble, premiered a work (written by her voice student) at the music factory concert, and was a semi-finalist at the concerto-aria competition. She received her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Bradley University in 2008 where she was a student of Dr. Kerry Walters. As a choral singer, Rebecca has performed in Italy, Great Britain, and France; most notable performances include singing at St. Mark’s in Venice and Notre Dame in Paris. Rebecca has been a finalist at the NATS competition at the district and tri-state competitions. She has been a member of the Bach Festival Ensemble and a Soloist with the Peoria Municipal Band and the Peoria Early Music Ensemble. In addition, Rebecca has appeared in multiple local opera and theater productions. Some of her favorite roles include: Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Meg in Little Women, Miss Pinkerton in the Old Maid and the Thief, Lieschen in Bach’s Coffee Cantata, and Cosette in Les Miserables. She would like to thank Phil Witzig for giving her the opportunity to sing this beautiful work and to Dr. Walters for helping her prepare for this concert. Rebecca currently is a cantor, choir member, and wedding soloist at Sacred Heart Church in Peoria, but most of her time is spent in Morton, Illinois with her husband David and their two rambunctious sons Charles and James.
Rosie Quintana, Alto - Originally from southern California, mezzo soprano Rosie Quintana is a 2018 graduate from Moody Bible Institute where she studied voice under Dr. Jori Jennings. While at Moody, Rosie was the alto soloist in the 2016 and 2017 performances of Handel’s Messiah. She was also a featured soloist from 2015-2017 in Moody’s annual Candlelight Carols program which is broadcast via Moody Radio in Chicago. As a choral singer, Rosie has performed in Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, and Norway. She was a frequent soloist with the Moody Chorale during international tours, performing various sacred and spiritual works in historic churches and at schools. Equally at home in musical theater, Rosie’s theater credits include Elphaba from in scenes from Wicked and the starring role in the original musical One Night at Tasha’s. In addition to performing, Rosie also serves as a worship leader at Church of the Beloved in Albany Park. An accomplished pianist, she also collaborates with Chicagoland artists in classical, gospel and jazz genres.
Edward Brennan, Tenor - Edward is a graduate of The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Urbana; while a student at U of I, he was an active member of the Opera Theater Program, which is now known as Lyric Theater @ Illinois. Making appearances in most productions over the years, the most memorable may be his portrayal of Danilo in The Merry Widow, or Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods. He has also performed with the Champaign Urbana Theater Company doing the role of Enjolras in Les Miserables. In 2017 he appeared with Utah Festival Opera, performing the roles of Frederic in Pirates of Penzance, and Captain Phoebus de Martin in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Edward has been a finalist in competitions across the country including the Michael Ballam International Opera Competition, the Sinfonietta Bel Canto voice competition, as well as the Nicholas Loren Vocal Competition sponsored by the Holland Chorale. He has had the pleasure of performing with the Sinfonia da Camera, Sinfonietta bel Canto, The Danville Symphony Orchestra, and the Blackburn College Orchestra and Chorale. He is originally from New Lenox, Illinois and is currently under the tutelage Harold Meers and Saundra DeAthos-Meers.
Aaron Wardell, Bass - Baritone Aaron Wardell is in demand as a performer of opera, oratorio and concert in the Midwest and beyond. He was most recently seen as Dr. Raymond in the world premiere of Ross Crean’s The Great God Pan with Chicago Fringe Opera. Previously he appeared as Le Roy in the modern-day premiere of Marais’ Ariane et Bachus with Haymarket Opera and as Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Chamber Opera Chicago. Last season he sang Angelotti in Tosca with the Fort Wayne Symphony and Emile de Becque in South Pacific with the La Porte Symphony. Upcoming engagements include Falke in Die Fledermaus with the New Philharmonic at the College of DuPage and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Promusica Chamber Orchestra. He has also sung operatic roles with the Castleton Festival, Dayton Opera, Opera Tampa, Central City Opera and internationally at Teatro National de Sucre in Ecuador. Aaron completed his formal musical training at Western Michigan University, then attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where he earned a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and an Artist Diploma certificate in Opera.
Dr. John Orfe, Organ – John Orfe is a composer whose music has been performed worldwide. He has fulfilled commissions for numerous chamber, choral, orchestras and festivals, earning praise from The New York Times, LAWeekly, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Die Welt, and Hamburger Abendblatt. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from the University of Rochester, as well as Master of Music, Master of Musical Arts, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Yale School of Music. As piano soloist and collaborative artist, Dr. John Orfe has earned critical acclaim for his interpretations of five centuries of keyboard repertoire ranging from the canonic to the arcane. As the core pianist and a founding member of critically-acclaimed new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound, he has performed in Carnegie Hall, Miller Theatre, Roulette, the World Financial Center, and Symphony Space in New York; Disney Hall, Mondavi Hall, and Hertz Hall in California; and music series and festivals across the United States and Europe including Harvard University, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bremen, Bolzano, Cork, Hamburg, London and Krakow. The New York Times praised his “virtuosic ardor” in performances of György Ligeti’s Piano Etudes and Concerto.