Haydn: The Creation
7:30 pm, Saturday 22 Mar 2025
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Musical Society
The Hanover Band
David Halls, Conductor
Hilary Cronin, Soprano
Guy Cutting, Tenor
Malachy Frame, Baritone
About the Concert Programme
Joseph Haydn’s joyous work, The Creation, was first performed in 1799, and was probably inspired by the oratorios of Handel which Haydn heard during his visits to England during the 1790s. The oratorio depicts and celebrates the creation of the world in all its beauty, as depicted in Milton’s Paradise Lost and the Biblical book of Genesis. The work plays out as a musical drama, with changing landscapes and scenes summoned one after the other before the audience’s eyes.
The Creation is divided into three parts: 1 and 2 give an account of the six days of the Creation itself, including vivid musical word-painting, such as the storm scenes, the wonderful sunrise music and the colourful depiction of various animals and birds. Part 3 introduces us to Adam and Eve who sing of the wonder and perfection of God’s newly created world and of their happiness together.
Beloved by singers and audiences alike, The Creation is Haydn’s crowning masterpiece. A terrifying God is nowhere to be found in this optimistic oratorio, which Haydn hoped would serve as a source of comfort to those burdened by cares. Precisely this spirit of unbounded joy and celebration has helped The Creation to endure throughout the years, a spiritual masterpiece for a secular age.
Before buying tickets, please read this.
After you have selected your seats and paid, please wait to be returned to the confirmation page on our website. Here you will see a heading Tickets and below that a download link. You may print the tickets or display them on your mobile device. You will also receive emails to acknowledge and confirm your booking, and these also have download links. If you are using a mobile phone, you will find it much easier in landscape format. You can expand the seating chart or drag it around to see any seats you want.
Recent regulatory changes make it mandatory for buyers to enter a billing address. If this doesn’t match the address on your card or PayPal account, your transaction may fail.
Price guide
Nave front £40, nave rear £25, sides of stage £20, side aisles (unreserved, restricted view) £10. Wheelchair users and their carers £10.
Concessions for students with ID, and children
Accompanied under 18s and students with ID can claim a 50% discount for rear nave seats. This is limited to one discounted seat for each full price seat. Please use discount code JUNIOR-MAR2025 at the shopping basket.
Dress Code
Relax, the cathedral might look like a formal setting, but there is no need for the audience to reflect that. Casual dress is fine.
For help with buying tickets online, please email our IT manager or telephone 07867 520644.
About the Concert Programme
Joseph Haydn’s joyous work, The Creation, was first performed in 1799, and was probably inspired by the oratorios of Handel which Haydn heard during his visits to England during the 1790s. The oratorio depicts and celebrates the creation of the world in all its beauty, as depicted in Milton’s Paradise Lost and the Biblical book of Genesis. The work plays out as a musical drama, with changing landscapes and scenes summoned one after the other before the audience’s eyes.
The Creation is divided into three parts: 1 and 2 give an account of the six days of the Creation itself, including vivid musical word-painting, such as the storm scenes, the wonderful sunrise music and the colourful depiction of various animals and birds. Part 3 introduces us to Adam and Eve who sing of the wonder and perfection of God’s newly created world and of their happiness together.
Beloved by singers and audiences alike, The Creation is Haydn’s crowning masterpiece. A terrifying God is nowhere to be found in this optimistic oratorio, which Haydn hoped would serve as a source of comfort to those burdened by cares. Precisely this spirit of unbounded joy and celebration has helped The Creation to endure throughout the years, a spiritual masterpiece for a secular age.
Before buying tickets, please read this.
After you have selected your seats and paid, please wait to be returned to the confirmation page on our website. Here you will see a heading Tickets and below that a download link. You may print the tickets or display them on your mobile device. You will also receive emails to acknowledge and confirm your booking, and these also have download links. If you are using a mobile phone, you will find it much easier in landscape format. You can expand the seating chart or drag it around to see any seats you want.
Recent regulatory changes make it mandatory for buyers to enter a billing address. If this doesn’t match the address on your card or PayPal account, your transaction may fail.
Price guide
Nave front £40, nave rear £25, sides of stage £20, side aisles (unreserved, restricted view) £10. Wheelchair users and their carers £10.
Concessions for students with ID, and children
Accompanied under 18s and students with ID can claim a 50% discount for rear nave seats. This is limited to one discounted seat for each full price seat. Please use discount code JUNIOR-MAR2025 at the shopping basket.
Dress Code
Relax, the cathedral might look like a formal setting, but there is no need for the audience to reflect that. Casual dress is fine.
For help with buying tickets online, please email our IT manager or telephone 07867 520644.
“The great climax ‘O Death, where is thy sting?’ was absolutely stunning at its dramatic peak”
Dr Richard Godfrey Reviewer
The Venue
Historic Salisbury Cathedral
This concert, like most of ours, takes place in the beautiful surroundings of Salisbury Cathedral, regarded as one of the leading examples of Early English Gothic architecture. If you don’t live in Salisbury, don’t worry — it’s easy to get to on public transport or by road.
Seating plan
Click the zone you want, and it will expand to show individual seats. You can then zoom the seating chart or drag it around. If you want several seats from different zones, after each selection just click your browser back button. After you have selected your seats and paid, please wait to be returned to the confirmation page on our website. Here you will see a heading Tickets and below that a download link. You may print the tickets or display them on your mobile device. You will also receive emails to acknowledge and confirm your booking, and these also have download links. If you are using a mobile phone, you will find it much easier in landscape format. You can use your browser back button to return to the event page. It is your responsibility to check that you have the correct tickets at the time of payment.
Main entrance and exit via North porch
Wheelchairs and carers
Exit via Consistory Court
Exit via South transept and cloisters
