Handel's Messiah, staged. 9 April

BIRTH. DEATH. RESURRECTION.
In the Merry Opera Company’s acclaimed dramatic staging of Handel’s Messiah, twelve strangers seek spiritual comfort in their struggle to understand their troubled lives.

Through the words and music of this most beloved oratorio they inspire each other to look to the future with hope.

Find out more about the production here.

Saturday 9th April 2016, 7pm
Tickets £12 (£8 - under 18s) Book online here

"Bringing the singers out from behind their scores brought out the human character of this music.” Opera Now

“Imaginative new staging ... worked beautifully ... creating a wall of sound with the power to move every spectator.” British Theatre Guide

“We have never experienced anything so moving and exciting as your performance last night ... we wanted everyone to have heard it. Thank you so much. We cannot stop thinking about it.” Saffron Walden

Director: John Ramster. Music Director and Conductor: Stephen Hose. Costume Design: Michelle Bradbury. Wardrobe: Pedrick Moore. Organist: Ben Comeau.

Cast includes: Christopher Faulkner, Lucilla Graham, WeiHsi Hu, Roderick Morris, Gemma Morsley, Lawrence Olsworth-Peter, Matthew Quirk, Daniel Roddick, Eleanor Ross, Jenny Stafford, Glenn Tweedie, Emily Vine.

28 Feb: James McVinnie

Opening Concert of the Refurbished Organ
Sunday 28 February at 3pm

Admission free: retiring collection for the organ fund
More information about the organ appeal and the organ at King Charles.

Some years ago, a Sevenoaks schoolboy appeared at KCM hoping to practise the organ here. He went on to study at the Royal College of Music before becoming Organ Scholar at St Alban's Abbey, Clare College Cambridge and St Paul's Cathedral, and being appointed Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey. During his time there he played for many important state services including the Royal Wedding in 2011.

By that time, James McVinnie had won a reputation as one of the country's best solo organists as well as being an excellent continuo player in several leading baroque ensembles both here and abroad. He made his debut at London's Royal Festival Hall in March 2014, giving one of the six opening recitals on the refurbished iconic 1954 Harrison & Harrison organ. He made his solo debut in the Salzburg Festival at the age of 26, performing alongside the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Ivor Bolton, and more locally to Tunbridge Wells he was on stage in Barrie Kosky's production of Handel's Saul at Glyndebourne in 2015.

James always plays interesting music. His recent sell-out concert at the Festival Hall included folk, electronics and improvisation as well as Bach. On 28 February he will be playing a couple of pieces so early they were written by "anon", than an early 17th century piece from Amsterdam by Sweelinck, the massive Prelude and Fugue in E Flat by Bach and ending with a transcription of the end of Stravinsky's Firebird.

James has been a particular champion of the music of Nico Muhli and we are lucky to be able to hear a new piece dedicated to the memory of John Scott, former Organist of St Paul's Cathedral, who died very suddenly last year.

Michael Bacon, Organist, King Charles the Martyr

Masters of the Baroque

Saturday 6 February, 7:30pm
Temenos Chamber Choir, director Charles Vignoles

Temenos return to King Charles the Martyr with a sparkling programme of Baroque masterpieces, which range from the early Venetian Gabrieli's eight-part Jubilate to Bach's most exuberant motet Singet dem Herrn, and culminating in Monteverdi's spectacular 1640 Magnificat. Superb motets by English composers Blow and Purcell are also included.

Temenos are joined by the talented Ensemble Hesperi on period instruments, directed by Thomas Allery (organ). They will be playing Handel's Opus 5 Trio Sonatas, and sonatas by Turini and Uccellini.

Tickets are £12 (£6 for students) on the door or by phone 01732 452715.