{"id":586341,"date":"2026-04-06T18:22:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T18:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/586341\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T18:22:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T18:22:08","slug":"hal-ale-lujah-winnipeg-baroque-festival-serves-up-a-beer-soaked-messiah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/586341\/","title":{"rendered":"Hal-ALE-lujah: Winnipeg Baroque Festival serves up a beer-soaked Messiah"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a city that embraces both its vibrant arts scene and its love of community gatherings, a unique event is bringing those two worlds together in an unforgettable way. We here in Winnipeg are in the middle of the Winnipeg Baroque Festival<\/a>, and coming up on April 8 at 7 p.m. at ExCues\u2019s Restaurant and Tavern<\/a>\u00a0at 551 Sargent Avenue, there will be a really fun event that celebrates a timeless Baroque masterwork while at the same time encouraging participants to eat, drink, and sing.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

That event is Hal-ALE-lujah: A Sing-Along Beer Messiah, an evening that invites participants to immerse themselves in the music of Handel in a way that is anything but traditional.<\/p>\n

Hal-ALE-lujah is a sing-along beer messiah that flavors already amazing music with water, barley, hops, and yeast. Sing along to classics like And the Glory of the Lord, Glory to God in the Highest, Behold the Lamb of God, and of course, the Hallelujah chorus, all the while imbibing in beer and letting the yeast help raise your voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breaking Down Barriers in Classical Music<\/p>\n

Leading the sing-along is conductor Katy Harmer<\/a>, a familiar name in Winnipeg\u2019s choral community. With a wealth of experience, from her work at St. Andrews River Heights United Church<\/a> to her leadership with Winnipeg Upper Voices<\/a>, Harmer is no stranger to bringing people together through music.<\/p>\n

But this event offers something refreshingly different.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we did a few of these back in the pre-pandemic times in 2018 and 19,\u201d Harmer says. \u201cMy colleague and friend Ian Campbell and I put these together back then, and we never got back to it after the pandemic. And it just seemed like it was time to resurrect it as it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

What makes Beer Messiah particularly appealing is its accessibility. Rather than reinforcing the often-intimidating aura of classical music, it breaks it down.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it’s a great time to just approach some good music in a casual way I mean whether you drink beer or not I mean the great thing is that there are many many beverage options. It’s fun to sing this music that we often think of as being very sort of high-class in a more casual setting.\u201d<\/p>\n

That relaxed approach is key to the event\u2019s appeal, offering both seasoned singers and curious newcomers a chance to engage with the music in their own way.<\/p>\n

Handel, Beer, and a Bit of Imagination<\/p>\n

The idea of pairing Handel with beer might seem unconventional at first, but there\u2019s a certain historical and humorous logic to it.<\/p>\n

We think of Handel Bach and Pachelbel as these uptight overworked composers But at a time when beer was being used to hydrate, especially when the water source was somewhat questionable, Bach and Handel would have had many brews.<\/p>\n

Harmer agrees that the composer himself might have appreciated the spirit of the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly, I think he would be really into it,\u201d she says. \u201cThere is a great tradition in with the Messiah and with other Baroque music of sort of playing with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continues, \u201cAnd I mean, there, there are, there’s something to be said about doing something with performance practice and historically accurate performance. But then also, I think some of this music was kind of intended to be a little bit fluid. [pun intended]\u201d<\/p>\n

By placing Messiah in a more relaxed, interactive setting, the event taps into that sense of flexibility and playfulness, inviting participants to experience the music in a fresh and engaging way.<\/p>\n

A Community Experience for Everyone<\/p>\n

One of the most appealing aspects of Beer Messiah is its inclusivity. You don\u2019t need to be a trained singer, or even particularly confident to take part.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we’ll have scores to borrow, but I know that many people, especially in this town, already own their own music, so you’re welcome to bring your own music, but we’ll have ones to borrow as well,\u201d Harmer explains. \u201cIt’s a great chance to sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

She adds, \u201cI think there will be many people there who know all the notes and will be happy to lead along the choir. And if you have not yet sung it, but you want to be in the middle of it, I think it’d be a great time to.\u201d<\/p>\n

The performance will also feature professional soloists, ensuring that some of the work\u2019s most iconic moments are delivered with polish and power.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I’ve got four soloists. We’ve got Keely McPeak, who’s our soprano. We’ve got Geneva Halvorson<\/a>, who’s our alto. We’ve got Ian Olson, who is our tenor, and Hurst Anderson as our bass,\u201d says Harmer. \u201cThese are some fantastic singers that I’ve worked with around town, and they’re gonna do a great job of bringing some of these, some of the, most well-known arias to life.\u201d<\/p>\n

And in keeping with the event\u2019s lively spirit, audience participation extends beyond singing.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it’s sort of almost… I don’t want to say like sports event, but if you hear an ornament or you hear a really long note and you want to cheer them on, we’ve got to cheer them on. And, you know, it’s not a sit and be quiet kind of a performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Full Sound in a Casual Setting<\/p>\n

Despite its laid-back atmosphere, Beer Messiah doesn\u2019t skimp on musical quality. The ensemble assembled for the evening promises a rich and vibrant sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I’ve got a string quintet. So two violins, viola, cello, and bass. We’ve got a trumpet, of course, for the Hallujah chorus and the trumpet shall sound. And we’ve got a keyboard. on the organ setting. So yeah, we’ve got a full ensemble there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The venue itself, ExCues\u2019s Restaurant and Tavern<\/a>, will be equipped to ensure the music carries well throughout the space.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I’m glad that\u00a0\u00a0ExCues\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0has a sound technician is gonna be on hand to help us make sure everybody can hear everything really well,\u201d Harmer notes. \u201cAnd I think it’s an event that won’t be forgotten soon, I don’t think.\u201d<\/p>\n

Singing Together in a Shared Moment<\/p>\n

At its core, Beer Messiah is about more than just novelty, it\u2019s about connection. It\u2019s about experiencing music not as a passive listener, but as an active participant.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think it’s, it’s, I just think it’s a different way to engage with this music and especially something that people know very well,\u201d Harmer says. \u201cWe often hear Messiah at Christmas, but it’s equally as a appropriate after Easter this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

She adds, \u201cFor all of human history, we’ve been gathering together and singing and so why not sing rather than simple things. Why not sing complicated things? Why not? I mean, and have fun and have fun doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sense of shared experience is what Harmer hopes will resonate most with participants.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that everybody takes away a new appreciation of the music,\u201d she says. \u201cSomebody came up to me a little while afterwards and said, you know, that was a really special, I’ve seen the Messiah performed so many times, but it was so special to be right in the middle of it and to be making music and have all the parts around me and to just be right in the middle of it. And that’s really what I hope everybody can take away from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

With tickets available at the door on a pay-what-you-can basis, the barrier to entry is as low as the atmosphere is inviting. Whether you\u2019re a seasoned chorister or simply someone looking for a unique night out, Hal-ALE-lujah : A Sing-Along Beer Messiah<\/a> offers the chance to raise your voice… and maybe a glassin celebration of one of classical music\u2019s most enduring masterpieces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a city that embraces both its vibrant arts scene and its love of community gatherings, a unique…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":586342,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194296],"tags":[49,48,22073],"class_list":["post-586341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-winnipeg","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-winnipeg"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=586341"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586341\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/586342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=586341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=586341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=586341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}