Two-spirit Albertan joins singers across Canada to make new version of Handel's Messiah

A two-spirit singer from Alberta is helping reshape the sound of Handel's Messiah in a new online performance.

Alberta baritone Jonathon Adams recorded a new version of Handel's Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, four choirs and 11 vocalists from across the country.

It is presented by Against the Grain Theatre and sung in English, French, Arabic and several First Nation languages. It also features short films of locations across Canada.

Adams says being part of the performance was a "special experience" and that it all came together fairly quickly.

"I just really enjoyed hearing all the other languages, you know, we had Arabic, we had Inuktitut," they told the Calgary Eyeopener.

"So it was really cool to hear those and to see the different landscapes. I mean, Canada is such a diverse country."

The singer says they think viewers will be drawn to the reimagination of the story and how it showcases everything Canada has to offer.

"Everybody's film, sort of, I think, in one way or another, reflects their personal identity, which is pretty cool," they said.

In Adams' part, it features their hometown, Sherwood Park, Alta.

"Part of the text of my piece is 'For he is like a refiner's fire,'" they said. 

"An actor that we hired … he plays this refinery worker and I play this sort of two-spirit Cree-Métis ancestor figure. So it's a real reimagination of Messiah, for sure."

Adams says they wanted their skit to discuss what it meant to be a contemporary Albertan.

"I'm Indigenous, I'm Cree-Métis, and then also I'm two-spirit, so we sort of wanted to stitch that all into the fabric of our little seven-minute film. And I think we did a pretty good job."

In order to represent two-spirit, which is a traditional third gender ceremonial and social role in Indigenous culture, Adams put markings on both their face and body.

"There was the practice of women having markings on their face and men having markings on their body in Cree culture," they said.

"With stage makeup, I made the image of a tattoo running all the way from my chin down onto my chest to represent what it means to be two-spirit."

You can see and hear Jonathon perform Handel's Messiah in a one-hour film online for free now through Jan. 7.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener.