Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
The baritone received a warm welcome for his first outing with the baton, with his four soloists adding pizzazz and tension to a reading that at times lacked dynamism

Though parcelled up as part of their Christmas season – along with two programmes of carols and festive pop standards back in December – the tinsel had decidedly been taken down for this year’s instalment of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s annual Messiah, led by their 2024/25 artist in residence Benjamin Appl.

Better known as a baritone – indeed the remainder of his residency will be as a vocal soloist – Appl was making his conducting debut here; and while the intensity of his earnest pre-concert introduction and focused, slightly nervy presence on stage may not quite have translated into a fully realised interpretation of Handel’s oratorio, the warm welcome he received from a sold-out Philharmonic audience will no doubt have bolstered him for future forays.