Coming Up: Christmas cantata a treat

Under the baton of Dr. Marcos Flores, Christ by the Sea brings the gift of music to the community this Saturday with its largest choir and orchestra ever, in the brand new Christmas cantata “The Song Heard ’Round the World,” written by Joseph Martin.

Liturgical dancers and powerful narration will enhance the presentation, and the choir and orchestra will be dressed in garb representing many nations, as befitting the cantata’s theme and title. The evening will include a moving, candlelight singing of “Silent Night.”

Flores describes the cantata as “a big production with a small church feel.” If you have yet to visit Christ by the Sea, expect to be moved not only by the glorious, uplifting music, but also by the beautiful, one-of-a-kind stained-glass window art. Performances will be at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. They are free, and tickets are not required.

A beloved yuletide tradition that has illuminated the Christmas season from generation to generation for close to half a century, the presentation of Handel’s “Messiah” at the First Baptist Church in Vero Beach will be this Saturday and Sunday – for its 48th year.

Area community choirs and top-notch soloists come together as the Treasure Coast Chorale, lifting their voices to perform Handel’s powerful and iconic masterwork. The music begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m., and it’s strongly suggested you arrive as early as possible to ensure a seat.

On stage at Riverside Theatre for Kids through this Friday and Saturday is “A Christmas Story, The Musical,” by the Tony-winning team of Ben Pasek and Justin Paul.

The talented Riverside kids take us back to the 1940s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana, to tell the story of a holiday season through the eyes of another kid. Nine-year-old Ralphie, full of spunk and vinegar, has all sorts of wintry adventures with his pals in his quest for, says Riverside’s promo, “the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts: an Official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot Range Model air rifle.”

The show opened on Broadway in 2012 and was nominated for several Tonys, and you’ll find it still playing in theaters throughout the country during the Christmas season. Tickets are $10. Show times are Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. “A Christmas Story, The Musical” is a holiday treat to share with the kids you know and love.

Some of the Emerald Isle’s most gorgeous female voices headline an evening that will warm your heart and wonderfully enrich your holiday season, as “The Celtic Angels Christmas Concert” national tour comes to the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center this Saturday at 7 p.m.

Of the enchanting vocal quintet, Sheeva,  The Ledger (Ireland) writes: The “glorious harmonies of Sheeva make you think that the angels are singing.”

All five Angels are from Ireland, as are the other stars of this exciting Christmas concert, the world-class Celtic Knight and Angel Dancers (including Patrick O’Mahoney of the international phenomenon, “Riverdance”) with their stunning, heart-pounding routines; and the Trinity Band Ensemble of Dublin. The program includes Celtic Christmas songs such as “Christmas in Killarney,” the lovely and haunting “Wexford Carol,” “Once Upon a Time in Ireland” and “Oichie Chiuin” (Silent Night) sung in Gaelic, the native language of the Celts. You’ll also hear classics including “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Let It Snow,” “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” and others.

“The Celtic Angels Christmas Concert” is certainly one to share with the family, young and old. Tickets are $35, online at  verobeachschools.tix.com, or at the PAC box office.

It’s always a pleasant day at “Art By The River,” the Sebastian River Art Club’s seasonal/ monthly fine art show, set up along the winding, oak-dappled sidewalks of Sebastian’s Riverview Park, just across Indian River Drive from the beautiful Indian River Lagoon.

This Saturday will be especially festive as artists and art lovers share a bountiful array of original work in myriad media – paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, art glass, pottery, prints and on – with a decidedly holiday ambiance. Proceeds from this project support the Ecumenical Council Food Pantry.

There will be some refreshments, and you may choose to make a day of it by checking out one of the nearby riverside restaurants. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday is the rain date.

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