LINDSBORG, KAN., Feb 27, 2023 – Bethany Oratorio Society is pleased to announce the 2023 Messiah Festival of Arts soloists. The Bethany Oratorio Society has performed Handel’s “Messiah” every year since 1882 and Bach’s “The Passion According to St. Matthew” since 1929. Guest soloists for this year’s concerts include Julianne Davis ‘94, soprano; JoAna Rusche, mezzo-soprano; Gene Stenger, tenor; and Nicholas Skotzko, bass. Leslie John Flanagan, baritone, will also be featured in the performance of “The Passion According to St. Matthew.” Below is a brief biography of their work.

Davis, Rusche, Stenger, and Skotzko will perform a free recital at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4 at Messiah Lutheran Church on the campus of Bethany College. They will also perform at the ticketed events, “The Passion According to St. Matthew” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 7 in Presser Hall Auditorium and Handel’s “Messiah” at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 9, in the same location. Purchase tickets for each concert at www.messiahfestival.org or by calling the festival office at (785) 227-3380, ext. 8235 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The mission of Bethany College is to educate, develop, and challenge individuals to reach for truth and excellence as they lead lives of faith, learning, and service. At Bethany, students join a community of dedicated educators and caring mentors who walk alongside them as they discover, explore, and navigate the path to their purpose. Bethany College is on the Web at www.bethanylb.edu and is located in Lindsborg, Kansas, the fine arts and crafts capital of the state.