Handel and Haydn Society to perform Beethoven’s Ninth in free concert

On August 27, the Handel and Haydn Society will present a free outdoor performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. The concert will feature the Handel and Haydn Orchestra and Chorus, plus members of the H+H Youth Choruses and four vocal soloists. The Handel and Haydn Society gave the Boston premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth in 1853, and performed the work in a free concert in Copley Square in 2015 to mark the organization’s bicentennial. “For the past sixteen months, we have not been able to do what arts organizations do best—bring people together around a common experience, one they can appreciate as an individual but also an experience they can revel in, share with one another, debate about and be inspired by,” said H+H President and CEO David Snead. “On August 27th, we want to make up for the time we’ve lost, bringing the Boston community together to celebrate the return of live performing arts to Boston.”