The Big-Bang Theory became hard fact last night as Oldham Choral Society, and the East Lancs Sinfonia presented Haydn’s The Creation at the RNCM.Haydn’s work begins with the chord of C and that resonated throughout the work and throughout the concert hall as the choir, soloists and orchestra all combined to give a gloriously moving, power-packed performance.

Leonard Bernstein said that the Representation of Chaos was ‘one of the supreme dramatizations of our time’. Under the creative and energetic baton of Nigel P. Wilkinson this organised chaos became a thing of controlled wonder as the making of the earth and its occupants unfolded.

The 108-strong choir and 27-member orchestra were on top of the job. Perhaps freed from the minor chords of many of the Society’s recent Requiems they proved that a different key makes a huge difference to mood and the audience responded with enthusiastic appreciation.

The soloists, Linda Richardson (soprano), Simon Crosby-Buttle (tenor) and Dean Robinson (bass), gave powerful performances of the main characters as we ranged from God and his creative angels, discussing the finer points of each day’s work, to Adam and Eve engaging in an operatic love-duet.

The performance used the original Novello edition, which, when published in London, was the first example of a bilingual edition. In the reading there are some tortured lyrics but in the singing all melded together into an uplifting performance that proved this work has stood the test of time.

Other evolutionary theories have been propounded since Haydn’s time but his Creation still stands as the supreme musical masterpiece. Oldham Choral Society and friends proved it last night. An excellent, vibrant performance that will be remembered for longer than six days.