With the holiday season knocking at our door, here are some of the events taking place at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) is headquartered, and they always have a marvelous array of spiritual and cultural food for the soul – particularly at Christmas time. The public is welcome at all of these events. Most are free; some of those require that you order tickets to reserve your spot. Even if you aren’t in the Salt Lake City area, it can be interesting to read about some of the things they are doing to celebrate the birth of the Savior.
More information on all of these events, including dates, times, parking, and ticket information, can be found at www.lds.org/events.
A whole booklet of scheduled performances taking place on Temple Square during the holiday season is available online at www.lds.org. There are special displays at the Museum of Church History and Art, and classes on paper crafts and holiday traditions at the Family History Library. There are regular organ recitals presented in the Tabernacle, as well as performances by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. There are also performances by singing groups from around the area, as well as piano soloists, bell choirs, instrumental ensembles, and many more. Some of the larger-scale performances require tickets, so make your plans early.
One of these larger concerts features the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square, with the King’s Singers as featured guest artists. The King’s Singers are a world-renowned a cappella men’s group based in London. I remember first hearing them perform on a television broadcast with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Even as a child I was delighted at the beautiful music that the six men’s voices created together, along with their comedic appeal. (As an aside, I remember that among the songs they performed with the Boston Pops at that time was a vocal version of the orchestral piece “The Barber of Seville.” You have to hear it to believe it; it was hysterical, and they still performed it beautifully.)
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome back our dear friends, The King’s Singers, as our guests for Christmas this year,” said Craig Jessop, music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, on www.lds.org. “They are consummate musicians who can perform everything from classical to contemporary and in between. Plus, they have a flair for comedy which should make this Christmas concert one of our most fun and festive ever.” The King’s Singers will appear on Temple Square December 13-16.
Savior of the World, a musical production based on scriptural accounts of the birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, is again being presented in the Conference Center theater during the holiday . According to www.lds.org, “the show features a cast of talented actors, singers, and musicians sharing testimony through drama and song of the divine mission of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world.” The director of the production explained that “Savior of the World provides a meaningful opportunity for all to remember His birth and Resurrection and renew their devotion to Him.”
Another Temple Square Christmas tradition is approaching on December 2. The First Presidency will give their annual Christmas Devotional at the Conference Center. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square will also be featured performers of several Christmas-themed pieces. The event will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.lds.org, so this is something that people in all areas can experience. BYU-TV will also broadcast the event. Many cable and satellite packages now offer BYU-TV; check your local listings for further information. BYU-TV also broadcasts the program over the Internet at www.byutv.org.
The annual Christmas Devotional is an opportunity for the prophet and members of the First Presidency to address the general membership of the Church about the Savior and the true meaning of Christmas. With so much of the holiday season focused on the commercial side of things, it is a real privilege to be taught by servants of the Lord about Him, His life, and what He would have us do — particularly during this holiday season.
