7 Oct 2026
Handel's Messiah is MCO's second release with celebrated French conductor Christophe Rousset, and the first in a series of performances which will explore Handel's oratorios.
"The disciplined Monteverdi Choir declaim texts impeccably and their shaping of lines is tautly rhythmical. ‘His yoke is easy’ has the kind of seemingly effortless lightness that can only be achieved by the very best choirs.”
"The earnest a cappella passages... are among the best I’ve ever heard.'
Conducted by Christophe Rousset, the Choir and EBS were joined by outstanding soloists: Ana Vieira Leite, Dame Sarah Connolly, Andrew Staples and William Thomas. The album was recorded during a 'revelatory' (The Telegraph) performance at St Martin-in-the-Fields in December 2025 during a European tour which also featured performances at Milan’s La Scala opera house, Paris's Église Saint-Roch, and Rome's Santa Cecilia.
The release marks the start of MCO's long-term recording partnership with French record label harmonia mundi.
This November, Rousset will conduct the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists in a European and South American tour of Handel’s Theodora, which will be recorded at the Sohmen Concert Hall at the Schwarzman Centre in Oxford.
Christophe Rousset conducts the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists at St Martin-in-the-Fields, 2025 © Paul Marc Mitchell
The album is available to purchase on CD and digital download, and listen to on all streaming platforms.
