Overview

Leslie Stifelman, conductor
Too Hot To Handel Chorus, Mary Louise Burke, associate director

The joyful holiday favorite returns for its 16th year of bringing audiences to their feet! This exuberant jazz, gospel and R&B-infused concert brilliantly reinvents Handel’s Messiah. Featuring guest soloists and the Too Hot to Handel Chorus, this truly exhilarating night of music will have you rejoicing in the aisles.

A Message from Conductor Laureate Marin Alsop
As the co-creator of Too Hot to Handel: The Gospel Messiah, it has been my honor to conduct this special concert for Denver audiences for the past fifteen years. I know it’s a part of your holiday tradition -- as it has been part of mine. This year, I’m delighted to introduce you to my dear friend and protégé Leslie Stifelman, a celebrated conductor, pianist, educator and filmmaker who shares our love of this now-classic work. In fact, with Bob Christianson, Gary Anderson and myself, Leslie helped create the very first performance of Too Hot to Handel at New York’s Lincoln Center in 1993. And in 2011, Leslie served as Music Supervisor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the program at Carnegie Hall, which I conducted. Whether conducting in Philadelphia, London, Seattle, Milwaukee or Denver, Leslie wins over audiences with the passion, personality and skill she brings to the podium. I know you’re going to love her.

About Leslie Stifelman
Leslie Stifelman is a multi-talented performer and conductor known for her extensive creative collaborations and partnerships. Her work spans the world of music through performances, recordings, television and films extending from the concert hall to Broadway, and her projects have been awarded the highest honors in the arts and media including the Peabody®, Grammy® and Tony® Awards. Her music career spans more than three decades, collaborating with some of the world’s most esteemed orchestras, performers, choreographers, directors and recording companies.