A glorious ‘Messiah’ with Dame Jane Glover in command

_{Photos courtesy of Greg Meadors}

Handel’s “Messiah” can carry a wider, more all-encompassing meaning if it’s not wedged between concerts of Christmas carols in December. With Dame Jane Glover conducting her own Chicago-based Music of the Baroque Chorus, a particularly adept ad-hoc orchestra and a quartet of well-chosen solo voices from the Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS program, Wednesday’s savory account in the cozy confines of acoustically perfect Harris Hall proved a performance for all seasons.

All hail Dame Jane! She strode to her place center stage without a podium, a baton, or a music stand for a score. She used her hands, her body, and indefatigable energy to bring the music of this familiar and popular oratorio to vivid life. The performance hit all the right inflections, rhythms, and expressions with elegance, and, when necessary, power. She was a conjurer of the music’s magic.

The chorus, 26 strong, is one of the most responsive vocal groups I’ve ever heard. Every inflection served a purpose, whether it was delineating the intertwining lines of counterpoint, gloriously enlivening the famous ‘Hallelujah’ chorus, or articulating the soothing harmonies of the extended hug of the closing “Amen.”

_{The Music of the Baroque Chorus in rehearsal}

The four soloists impressively enunciated the words (taken from English-language scripture). Musically, the standouts were Jonghyun Park and Ashlyn Brown (who, earlier this summer, sang the roles of Ferrando and Dorabella in “Così fan tutte” here). Park’s polished lyric tenor carried the meanings as well as the notes. Brown’s flexible mezzo-soprano may have softened on the low notes in arias written for a true alto, but she caught their flow and character.

Bass-baritone Jared Werlein, who is singing roles at Deutsche Oper Berlin this year, conveyed the authority necessary in his solo moments, and soprano Jennifer Robinson, despite some distracting fidgeting when she wasn’t singing, lavished a creamy voice on her arias.

The orchestra, mostly strings for most of the evening, benefited from some excellent pumping up with timpani at the end and occasional brightness from an oboe and three trumpets. The continuo — Michael Beattie (harpsichord and electric organ), Sanghyeok Park (cello), Andrew Salaru (bassoon), and Anderson Bernal (bass) — kept things moving with refinement and zip.

The perfect sound of 500-seat Harris Hall, much better than a cold, stone cathedral or a big symphony hall, plus Glover’s masterful leadership made for an unforgettable experience.

Harvey Steiman has been writing about the Aspen Music Festival for more than 30 years. His reviews appear in The Aspen Times on Tuesdays and Saturdays.