One of the most famous choral pieces in history is the oratorio Messiah by Georg Friedrich Haendel, composed in 1741 and performed in many venues ever since.

The work focuses on the singing of biblical passages that identify Jesus as the promised, sent and glorified messiah throughout the Scriptures, and is best known for its ‘Hallelujah’.

Messiah is also special for many evangelicals in Spain, who in 1995 participated in its first performance in Spanish, in a pioneering project that shaped the national evangelical orchestra and choir.

That initiative brought together musicians and singers to perform this classic, distinctly Christian work and present it in Spanish, so that the audience could feel and understand the message.

The initiative was directed by Daniel Hollingsworth, an experienced musician from the United States who has been involved in evangelical mission in Spain for over 40 years, participating in musical and educational initiatives.

The presentation of Messiah by Haendel was a turning point for the evangelical community in Spain.

A boost to evangelical confidence

“The Spanish evangelical Protestant church was still low in self-esteem after so many years of persecution”, recalls Hollingsworth.

“There were still vestiges of a ghetto mentality, not in all churches, but in many. Messiah brought the evangelical church on stage to proclaim their rightful influence as Spanish followers of Jesus Christ”, he adds.

Messiah also marked the life of Eunice Cordero, one of the violinists who has been involved in the project from the beginning: “I was 18 and it was an unforgettable experience”. In addition to the “challenge” of playing a work of such magnitude, there was “the thrill of participating in something unique”.

“It helped me grow on many levels, I met a lot of brothers, instrumentalists and singers who to this day are still very dear friends, and above all it made me feel that my faith could be expressed in public, without shame, in a big way”, points out Cordero.

The presentations took place in emblematic venues such as the cathedral of León, which broke down of barriers for the evangelical community. “It certainly raised the sense of identity and security of evangelical believers”, underlines Hollingsworth.

According to the director, “it made the churches think out loud about assuming their public role in culture and showed that the Spanish evangelical church did not have to wait for help from outside to take its place in society”.

Every 10 years

The experience left such a good impression that it has been repeated over time. “In 2005, ten years later, the pieces of Messiah were heard again in Spanish”, recalls Cordero.

“Singing ‘I know that my redeemer lives and that he will rise’, in our language... There are certain phrases in which you are simply overwhelmed with emotion. Fortunately you can play the violin even if you shed a few tears”, adss the violinist.

For that second tour, several professional Christian musicians who had not played in the first version in 1995 joined the orchestra.

In the choir there were also people repeating and who already knew it. Among the performances, “the concert in Oviedo cathedral is the one that stuck with me”, says Cordero.

In 2015, the project was also revived and some concerts were presented, involving choirs from different cities, creating a cultural legacy that continues to this day.

Unity

The project has led the evangelicals to join in a common project.

“When this idea of a 30th anniversary began to take shape, I immediately felt called to collaborate, both musically (this time I am going to play the viola!) and in the organisation”, says Cordero.

For the violinist it is “a way to thank the Lord for what He has done in my life through this piece, but also to express gratitude to the brothers who paved the way for making the evangelical church visible in Spain and had the vision to use Handel's Messiah as an instrument to give glory to God, but also as “glue” for the unity of the churches”.

The new choir and orchestra

A few weeks ago the new Messiah Project was launched, calling for musicians and voices to sign up to be part of it. Registrations are now open.

‘The aim is to use the precious music of Messiah to give glory to God, connect with fellow musicians of the next generation and invite some unchurched musician friends to share the gospel in the context of the music stand as well. The Lord, in His will, will do the work. Music will once again be the common thread”, explains Cordero.

She confirmed that some presentation dates for Messiah are already being considered for September in collaboration with Bible Society and in the context of the month of the Bible, as well as other possible shows in December and January 2026.

“This time, the concerts will be participatory, which means that the audience will have the libretto and the score of some of the numbers and we will invite them to sing along with us - it will be very exciting”, adds Cordero.

Daniel Hollingsworth will once again lead the orchestra, together with the young conductor from Madrid, Francisco Fernández.

“Times have changed, but the message is the same and perhaps more relevant now. We need something that gives real security and hope: a message of restoration for a society that has more things but much less personal satisfaction and peace. That is the message of Jesus, the one and only Messiah”, concludes Hollingsworth.