WINNIPEG, MB
Local man, and former ‘Hymn Sing’ star Simon Hildebrandt, 61, messed up a performance of Handel’s Messiah this week after belting out Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ during the famous ‘Hallelujah Chorus.’
“I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased the Lord,” sang Hildebrandt. “But you don’t really care for music do you?”
Hildebrandt had been practicing the song on his own for weeks and even took up smoking cigars to get that deep Leonard Cohen voice circa 1984.
“By the time I got to the second line, all the other basses and a few of the tenors were looking in my direction,” said Hildebrandt. “I guess they got the wrong song book or something…”
While the choir tried to continue with the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’, Hildebrandt just kept on going, seemingly oblivious to the error.
“Your faith was strong, but you needed proof,” sang Hildebrandt. “You saw her bathing on the roof.”
About halfway through he positioned himself right in front of the microphone and by that time the others thought, to heck with it, and decided to join him.
“Hey, I kind of liked it,” said concert attendee Mrs. Wiebe. “It’s like a fusion of my two favourite songs.”
The Fifth Mennonite Church of Winnipeg plans to make the new version of Handel’s Messiah an annual tradition.