If you know one piece of classical music at Christmas, it is probably the “Hallelujah” chorus. The Minnesota Orchestra plays the whole oratorio, and it is on Friday, Dec. 18, and Saturday, Dec. 19, 2026, at Orchestra Hall on Nicollet Mall. Here is what the Orchestra has announced, and how to turn it into a quiet, candlelit-feeling night away at 300 Clifton, our Georgian mansion bed and breakfast in Loring Park.
When is Handel’s Messiah at Orchestra Hall in 2026?
According to the Minnesota Orchestra’s event page, there are two performances: Friday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. (both Central Time). The listed running time is about two hours and thirty minutes, including intermission, and doors open an hour and a half before each performance.
Conductor Jane Glover leads the Orchestra and the Minnesota Chorale. The soloists are soprano Lauren Snouffer, mezzo Clara Osowski, tenor Eric Ferring and bass-baritone Michael Sumuel. The Orchestra describes the program as the full oratorio, from the “Hallelujah” chorus to “For Unto Us a Child Is Born.” For ticket prices and what is left, use the Orchestra’s own page, since we can’t see inventory from here.
Why make a night of it?
A two-and-a-half-hour concert that ends after 10 p.m. on a December night is the kind of evening that is nicer when you do not have to drive home afterward. Book a room and the whole plan changes: dress up, have a slow dinner downtown beforehand, hear the full Messiah, and come back to a warm room instead of a freeway.
That is also why the Saturday show tends to suit travelers best. With a 7 p.m. start you can arrive in the afternoon, settle in, and still get to the Hall in good time.
Where to stay near Orchestra Hall: 300 Clifton in Loring Park
300 Clifton is the historic Eugene J. Carpenter Mansion, listed on the National Register and often called the finest Georgian architecture in Minnesota. It sits in the Loring Park neighborhood just beside downtown, and every room is different: the Crystal Mansion, the Georgian Room, the Grand Edwardian, the Coachman’s Room, the Forge, the Hayloft and the Estate Rooms.
After the final “Amen,” the evening can keep going. There is the four-season garden hot tub under the stars, and a movie room with heated reclining seats if you would rather stay in and watch something. Hand-painted murals, carved fireplaces and the English gardens are all part of the house.
Getting there without a car
Orchestra Hall is at 1111 Nicollet Mall, in the heart of downtown. You can plan your trip from the mansion with the Metro Transit trip planner, and Loring Park itself is worth a stroll in daylight; the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board lists its pond, trails and winter skating. Check weather and your route a day or two ahead, since December in Minneapolis can change plans.
Stacking the weekend
That same Dec. 18–20 weekend is a busy one downtown: we wrote up the Target Center lineup that weekend, so book early if you want a particular room. If your December leans more toward movies than oratorios, our guide to Home Alone in Concert covers the Orchestra’s Dec. 11–13 weekend, and our overview of the Orchestra’s fall season lists the rest of the calendar.
Ready to plan it? See the rooms and book direct at 300clifton.com, and make Messiah weekend the part of your holiday that you do not have to drive home from.
Keep reading: Where Should You Stay for How to Train Your Dragon in Concert at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis? Nov. 28–29, 2026