Sir, - As the organiser of the International Messiah Chorus in Halle, Germany, I am following with great interest the discussion in your pages regarding the possible twinning of Dublin and Halle.
At the event to mark Handel's birthday, we invite singers from all over the world. As well as making the city of Halle better known, we aim to bring people together. In this respect a twinning of the two cities would be a perfect accomplishment of our goal.
The Irish singing delegation has added much joy to the Messiah Chorus in Halle and we would be delighted to have them as a reliable contingent year after year. We have entered a long-term relationship with the conductor Proinnsías Ó Duinn, with the aim of making the choir of several hundred voices a qualitative success. In this function, he will be a cultural ambassador for Dublin and Ireland.
No doubt the Irish involvement will draw the attention of international participants in our event to the Handel sites in Dublin. Here I can see the beginnings of mutual profit in forging a closer link between these two Handel cities. - Yours, etc.,
MAX VON ARNIM,
Halle,
Germany.