On Saturday evening the Gustavus Choir performed its first concert of the tour in the Basilica Di Santa Maria in Montesanto, Rome and received a standing ovation.
Choir students pose outside of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Montesanto prior to rehearsal of the evening concert.
The concert was in a historic church located in a large outdoor plaza, Piazza del Popolo, located in the northern part of the city.
About 200 people attended the free concert of classical sacred music, which was extremely lovely and warmly received. In fact, listeners had no idea that the choir had to adjust musically, and in a very short period of time, to a vast new space with a tall dome roof and lots of tile and marble.
(For you non-music readers, know that it is hard to sing when you can’t hear yourself or the other vocalists because the music is bouncing all around.)
After a short rehearsal in the space, the choir sang most of its 17-piece concert repertoire, including some songs in Italian and some English pieces.
The choir sang at the church again on Sunday during noon mass and also sang at an evening mass at the historic and revered Vatican’s St. Peter Cathedral (known in Roma as the Basilica Santa Pietro in del Vaticano). More about that will be posted later in the tour blog.
The Gustavus Choir, conducted by Greg Aune, sings in the Basilica di Santa Maria in Montesanto, located in Rome.
Wow. I’m sure you sounded like angels. Show the Italians what the g choir is all about.
Love you guys,