“I needed not sell one single ticket at the door,” said Handel of the world premiere of his oratorio Messiah in Dublin in 1742. The now iconic choral work was extraordinarily popular in Handel’s day and is even more so today – it’s beloved of singers and audiences alike, from Christmas-and-Easter concert goers to seasoned Messiah chasers. Indeed, the couple sitting next to me for Friday night’s sold out performance by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs had already heard Messiahs in Brisbane and Melbourne this month.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Photo © Keith Saunders

This performance, led by Artistic Director Brett Weymark, saw the singers of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs joined by the Christmas Choir, as well as singers from the newly minted River City Voices – who will present their own Messiah in Parramatta on Tuesday under the baton of Artistic Director Sarah Penicka-Smith – in a 600-strong chorus. Weymark deftly wrangled these enormous forces to produce a performance of incredible subtly, nuance and clarity.

From the stately orchestral Sinfony, this was a polished, well-judged account from Weymark, aided by his fine quartet of soloists: soprano Celeste Lazarenko, countertenor Nicholas Tolputt, tenor Andrew Goodwin and bass-baritone Christopher...