IT is indeed fortunate that George Frederic Handel had so many strings to his bow, if you’ll pardon the pun.

He was one of the original show business entrepreneurs, making a pretty good living writing and staging Italian operas in London (the German has become an English citizen) until the bottom fell out of the market, partly because the audience didn’t understand what was being sung.

So he turned his hand to something else and he wasn’t too bad at this either. The oratio in English based on Biblical text.

And so today, more than two and half centuries later, no Christmas or Easter is quite complete without Handel’s Messiah, the three part epic on the Coming, the Passion and the Resurrection.

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under chief conductor, Kirill Karabits, was in sublime form as ever alongside the equally wonderful Bournemouth Symphony Chorus.

Fittingly, chorus director, Gavin Carr, took his well deserved bow at the end too.

The team on stage was completed by dazzling performances from the soloists, soprano Rowan Pierce, the exquisite counter tenor Jake Arditti, tenor Anthony Gregory and baritone Jacques Imbrailo.

Of course the two best known pieces from the complex and globally celebrated work, written by Handel in August and September 1741 and first performed in Dublin the following year are For unto us a child is born and the Hallelujah for which the audience stood in the traditional manner.

But every part of this two hour work of genius is an absolute joy.

A delightful and as always, an uplifting evening, much appreciated by a full house.