Jeannette Sorrell and Apollo's Fire offer a unique release of Handel's Messiah: a 3-disc set including 2 CDs and a DVD presenting a dramatic approach which explores the work as the theatrical entertainment which Handel intended - an oratorio being a dramatic work, and Handel's bold declaration that Messiah was "A Sacred Oratorio." While the theatrical/spiritual duality caused criticism in Handel's lifetime, Sorrell believes it is one of the key reasons the work continues to speak so directly to modern audiences. The DVD includes footage from rehearsals, concerts and recording sessions, interviews with soloists, principal players and Sorrell.