Forget the hushed silence of the concert hall and the formality of the balcony seat. This Sunday, Dec. 21, a live performance inspired by the Comedy Central show “Drunk History” will bring a traditional Christmastime “Messiah Sing” to the Valley — with a few twists.
Opera On Tap Boston will present a matinee showing of their “Drunk Opera History” version of George Frideric Handel’s “The Messiah” at the Iron Hose Music Hall in Northampton.
The oratorio “The Messiah” is based on the story of the life of Jesus Christ and is presented entirely in English. This show will feature Part One of “The Messiah” as well as a few arias from Part Two and Part Three. An oratorio is similar to an opera in that it uses live, large-scale orchestral music and voices, but an oratorio does not feature sets or costumes.
Mezzo-soprano Caitlin Felsman and her husband Mike Pfitzer, the show’s inebriated historian, co-created the production in 2019 through Opera On Tap. This international organization aims to dissolve barriers that keep people from experiencing and enjoying the art form, challenging the notion that live opera is only for the “grey-haired and buttoned-up,” Felsman said.
Felsman and Pfitzer recognized that while many people enjoy live music, they often shy away from opera; by combining the two, they hope to persuade newcomers to give the genre a chance.
“We’re always thinking about programming that can show people how accessible different types of classical music can be,” she said.
The pair started this show in Somerville, a city northwest of Boston, in 2019. Felsman and Pfitzer even managed to make it work during the COVID-19 pandemic, gathering 150 or so cars in a large parking lot and performing a broadcast through car radios. When they moved to the Valley, the duo first hosted Opera On Tap events at The Brewery at Four Star Farms in Northfield. Opera in a traditional setting “has its place,” Felsman said, “but, especially in western Mass., we want to invite people to enjoy great music in a more comfortable setting.”
Pfitzer is a fan of the now-canceled Comedy Central show “Drunk History.” The comedy series, based on the Funny or Die web series, involved drunk comedians and other personalities attempting to tell the stories of real events in history, which are then acted out — lip-synced to their narration — by actors in period costume. He and Felsman had the idea to combine that with the “Messiah sing” tradition: “We thought, ‘That’s fun, but what if we added in the comedic part of it?’” Felsman said.
As such, Pfitzer’s role in the show includes sharing interesting facts and lore about the history and creation of “The Messiah,” while inebriated. Besides Felsman and Pfitzer, the cast includes soprano Sarah Callinan, tenor Wes Hunter, bass David Smyth, pianist Colin Britt and trumpeter Thomas Bergeron.
But what makes “The Messiah” so interesting? For one thing, though it is often associated with Christmas, the opera goes through all of Jesus’ life, so the “Hallelujah Chorus” is “more of an Easter song than anything else,” Pfitzer said. When it was first performed in the 18th century, it was considered sacrilegious to present a religious oratorio about Jesus Christ for entertainment.
What’s more, this opera was written in English by George Frideric Handel, whose first language was German. Handel also frequently borrowed from his own melodies, including love songs.
“He wasn’t expecting that, in 2025, people would be listening to his music on Spotify!” Pfitzer said.
Besides that, the tradition of standing up for the “Hallelujah Chorus” traces its history to King George II, who reportedly stood when it was performed in London. There have been a number of stories and theories for why he stood up — such as his leg fell asleep or he saw a mouse — but none are true, Pfitzer said.
“Even whether the king stood up at all is kind of up for debate,” he said.
Even so, the tradition has endured, but it’s not uncommon for some people at “Messiah Sings” to glare at those who stand up because they know the associated legend isn’t necessarily true. Still, Pfitzer encourages audience members to experience the “Hallelujah Chorus” however they feel most comfortable.
The question of the historian’s actual level of intoxication is one of performance craft: Pfitzer maintains a “good, loose, fun-loving” state that leans into the humor of the show while ensuring he remains an effective storyteller.
“I don’t generally do anything illegal, let’s put it that way!” he said.
“I drive home!” Felsman laughed.
Felsman also noted that though the word “drunk” in the show’s title can be “a little scary for families.” However, she said that the event is family-friendly and can be a great way to expose children to opera and show them that “it really is for everybody.”
“We really see the power of people getting together and singing. Some folks are in a community chorus and this is a fun exercise for them,” Felsman said. “It just takes the pressure off if there’s a beer on the table or if they’re having breakfast while they’re doing it, and it’s a very joyful experience.”
Showtime for “Drunk Opera History: Messiah Sing” is 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $24 via ironhorse.org.