PBS will broadcast Too Hot to Handel on December 17 at 9:30/8:30 CST, captured at its 2023 European premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Marin Alsop leads the BBC Concert Orchestra in an uplifting reinterpretation of this seasonal favorite, as Handel’s masterpiece is infused with gospel, jazz, and R&B. Tune in here.

Alsop, with arrangers Bob Christianson and Gary Anderson, capture the essential core of Handel’s work – with its famous Hallelujah chorus – while reimagining the arias, choruses, and orchestration with a gospel twist. Alongside the orchestra, soloists Vanessa Haynes and Zwakele Tshabalala are joined by The BBC Symphony Chorus and The London Adventist Chorale.

An additional broadcast of the performance will air on BBC Four on December 22. Find details here.