Messiah for Hospice

A Christmas concert with a difference...

In the solemn setting of one of the most beautiful churches in the world, just a few days before the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord, the place is full of people eagerly awaiting the evening’s performance. Suddenly, the magnificent organ fills up the dimly lit atmosphere with a rich harmony. The choristers clad in their red robes march up the aisle holding a candle in their hands, then place the candles on the altar’s side before assembling themselves on the steps below the altar. We are in St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta about to assist to the annual Christmas Concert by the Collegium Musicum Choir, which is also the resident choir in the very same Cathedral.

It is now a tradition that during the days leading to Christmas the Collegium Musicum Choir presents a Christmas Concert in Malta’s Co-Cathedral. The usual repertoire consists of traditional carols and other Christmas hymns including Maltese carols. This year however being the twenty-fifth anniversary since the Choir’s official debut, the Collegium Musicum deemed it fit to put on a concert with excerpts taken from Handel’s “Messiah”. The concert shall be held on the 19^th of December at 7.30 p.m., and the entrance to the concert as in previous years is free. This year’s concert is however being organised in aid of the Malta Hospice Movement. Donations will be collected at the end of the concert and your generosity is kindly solicited.

The chorus pieces will be sung by the Collegium Musicum Choir with the participation of the University Vocal Ensemble. Solo and duet pieces will be sung by soloists Claire Caruana and Anita Vella Bondin as sopranos, Claire Massa, Connie Francis Zerafa and Graziella Debattista as mezzo-sopranos, Charles Vincenti and Frans Mangion as tenors and James Vella Bondin and Kevin Caruana as basses accompanied by Romina Morrow on the organ and the University Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Hans Jürgen Nagel and Dr. Mro. Dion Buhagiar, who is also the founder of the choir and Maestro di Cappella of Malta’s two Cathedrals.

The concert concludes itself with the triumphant “Hallelujah!” Chorus to the resounding trumpets and timpani while the choir sings aloud the words taken from the book of Revelation: “For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth… Hallelujah!” Definitely an event not to miss!