The Royal Choral Society performed the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah virtually this Good Friday, continuing a Royal Albert Hall tradition that has been going for 144 years – broken only by the Blitz in 1940/1.
Following the cancellation of this year’s annual performance due to Covid-19, members formed a virtual choir to allow audiences everywhere to enjoy this Easter institution. The choir invited the public to join them in singing the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ at 4:35pm (BST) on Good Friday 10 April 2020.
82 members of the Royal Choral Society filmed themselves singing in their own homes, and the videos were then stitched together, and shared as part of the Royal Albert Hall's #RoyalAlberHome series. Conductor Richard Cooke joined from his garden, with Richard Pearce – regular organist for the Last Night of the Proms – providing accompaniment.