O Come, Little Children [DVD] 2017
This live recording of the 2016 Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert is a celebration of seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child. Children anticipate with glee the receiving of gifts, and delight in parties, traditions, and treats. But when children contemplate the deeper message of Christmas – that Christ came to earth, like them, as a baby – their innocence and joy is an anchor for our celebrations. The Choir is joined by the Orchestra on Temple Square and Bells on Temple Square, and features the renowned opera superstar, Rolando Villazón. Dancers and actors from the local community also participated this visual feast of music, story and dance, performed before a combined capacity audience of over 60,000 in the Conference Center at Temple Square. The performance includes favorite songs and carols from around the world that celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. From the 18th-century German carol “O Come, Little Children” to the French song “Il est Né” and the traditional Andalusian song “Campana Sobre Campana.” the invitation is extended to everyone to join with children in reflecting on the Christmas message. A moving, dramatized rendition of Hans Christian Andersen’s fabled story “The Little Match Girl,” narrated by Rolando Villazón reminds us that having the faith of a child and showing unremitting love will lift all who look heavenward for comfort and relief, no matter their circumstances.