Wild Arts Handel’s Messiah
- Date
- 18th December 2026
- Time
- 7:00pm - 9:00pm
About this event
One of the most beloved choral works ever written, Messiah has captivated audiences for nearly three centuries with its glorious choruses, radiant arias and moving storytelling. From the joyful “For Unto Us a Child Is Born” to the triumphant “Hallelujah Chorus”, Handel’s music combines breathtaking beauty with extraordinary emotional power.
Eight exceptional singers perform the entire work from memory with staging devised by acclaimed theatre and opera director Tom Morris (Breaking the Waves, Dr Semmelweis, War Horse). With singers moving around the Cathedral and amongst the audience, the production strips away the barriers between performers and audience, allowing the drama of Handel’s masterpiece to emerge with remarkable immediacy.
Accompanied by the musicians of the Wild Arts Ensemble on period instruments and directed from the harpsichord by Wild Arts’ Artistic Director Orlando Jopling, this compelling production has earned standing ovations across the country. Combining world-class musicianship with vivid storytelling, it offers a fresh perspective on one of the greatest works in the choral repertoire, whether you know the work well, or are discovering it for the first time.
“Riveting and dramatic… The musical direction from the harpsichord by Orlando Jopling is fastidiously authentic — his excellent minimum-forces band of period instrumentalists embellish their lines and phrase beguilingly throughout.”
Richard Morrison, The Times
“The jewel in Wild Arts’ crown. A supple, energetic interpretation that thrillingly delivers the story as if the performers have just discovered it… Exquisite, moving, and exuberant.”
The Arts Desk
Wild Arts (★★★★ The Times, ★★★★ The Guardian) brings its acclaimed dramatisation of Handel’s Messiah to St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
While the Cathedral is the location for this event, it is organised, and tickets sold, by an external company. If you have any queries regarding the event or tickets, please contact: info@wildarts.org.uk. Please do not call the Cathedral as we will not be able to help you with any ticketing issues.
Share this venue
About the Venue
For over 1,000 years, the site of Suffolk ’s Cathedral has been one of worship and pilgrimage.
The death of Edmund, King of the East Angles, at the hands of the Danes in 869 led to the building of an abbey to house his remains. St James’s Church was built within the precincts of the Abbey, becoming a Cathedral in 1914. The Cathedral building has continued to develop over recent years with the addition of the Millennium Tower, completed in 2005, and its magnificent painted and gilded vault, added in 2010. In 2009 the Cathedral changed its dedication to become the Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund.
Visitors are welcome to look around the Cathedral on their own. Entry is free but donations gratefully received. A free introductory leaflet is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Polish. Visitors are most welcome to attend any of the daily services.
Guided Tours of the Cathedral run Monday to Saturday at 11.30 am and some Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Cathedral Shop. Occasionally a tour may have to be cancelled if another event is taking place in the Cathedral. If you are travelling some distance, please do ring the Cathedral office to check. These tours last approx 1 hour and cost £7 per person (under 16s free).
St Edmundsbury Cathedral Tower Tours - Experience a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of St Edmundsbury Cathedral's Millennium Tower with fun and knowledgeable guides. Explore heady heights with amazing views from the top of the tower, the highest point in Bury St Edmunds! Don’t forget your camera!
St Edmund Statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink - A trip to Bury St Edmunds would not be complete without a photo of the iconic St Edmund statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink. The statue can be found outside in the Great Churchyard of the Cathedral.
Cathedral Lego Project - St Edmundsbury Cathedral has launched an ambitious project to recreate the Cathedral out of 200,000 LEGO bricks! Visitors can see the Lego Cathedral being built before their eyes and donate a brick to be part of this amazing project. The Lego Cathedral is located in the South West corner of St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Opening times may vary based on volunteer availability.
The Ancient Library - The Ancient Library was founded by Dr Miles Mosse in 1595 as a resource for clergy training. There are over 550 books, mainly printed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The library, in a room over the north-west porch designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in 1960, has bookcases made by Leonard Goff in 2004. If you would like to visit the library, please contact the librarian through the Cathedral Office on visits@stedscathedral.org or 01284 748730.
The Cathedral Treasury - Visitors can view a wonderful collection of treasures including the beautiful Bury Psalter - an illuminated book of psalms made and used at the Abbey of St Edmund, a replica of The Bury Cross or Cloisters Cross (the real cross is on display The Met in New York) made by Master Hugo during the days of the Abbey. The Treasury is open seven days a week: Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm and Sunday 12.30pm – 3pm.
Pilgrim's Kitchen - after touring the Cathedral why not relax with a cuppa at the Cathedral's cafe?
"A lovely gem in Bury St Edmunds, a must visit."
"Really gorgeous cathedral with a lot of history and a lot of areas to explore."
"The grounds are spectacular enough as they contain the remains of a destroyed abbey but once you enter the Cathedral it's like entering something from Camelot. I have never come across a Cathedral with such a range of textures and colours on the floor, cleaning and stained glass."
