A musical masterwork re-energised for western Sydney

In 2022, River City Voices broke the mold of a beloved Christmas tradition by uniting a choral classic with brand new performance poetry for its Western Sydney audiences. In 2025, Slam Messiah is back – with the same iconic music, new poets and poems. 

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Handel’s masterwork ‘Messiah’ was born from one man’s struggle to keep his faith alive in the face of changing times and governments. This bold reimagining combines the raw honesty of contemporary spoken word with the timeless beauty of baroque music, breathing urgent new life into a centuries-old tradition. The times are different, but the issues remain the same – inequality, displacement, hope, resilience, and the search for meaning in a fractured world. 

Presented as a shortened chamber version perfect for new audiences, three talented Western Sydney poets respond to the issues the music contains, framed by Handel’s thrilling arias and compelling choruses, including the famous ‘Hallelujah’ chorus. Whether this is your first Messiah or your fiftieth, Slam Messiah offers audiences the chance to experience this monumental work like never before — alive, immediate, and speaking directly to the heart of 2025.

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With thanks to our partner PYT Fairfield

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*AUSLAN interpreted

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Conductor -   Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith

Vocalists -  Kerry Nicholson |  Soprano

Wesley Yu  | Tenor

Michael Lampard | Bass

Poets -  Daniel Mehareb | Rania Omar | Charnel Rizk

    Choir -  River City Voices