Opera Holland Park – Messa di Gloria Giacomo Puccini – 7:30pm
Ahead of his return to Opera Holland Park as Canio in Pagliacci, tenor David Butt Philip joins baritone Ross Ramgobin, conductor John Andrews, the Opera Holland Park chorus and City of London Sinfonia in a special performance of Puccini’s Messa di Gloria.
The concert will take place in the glorious surrounding of Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, on 22 February 2024 and launches an exciting series of events by Opera Holland Park to mark the centenary of Puccini’s death, including a revival of Stephen Barlow’s sensational 2008 staging of Tosca, and three semi-staged performances of Puccini’s early romance, Edgar.
Scored for tenor and baritone soloists, choir and orchestra, the Messa di Gloria blends the solemnity of the Italian choral tradition with expressive melodies and motifs that would later reappear in operas from Edgar and Le Villi to Manon Lescaut and Suor Angelica.
Six years after the first performance of Verdi’s Messa da requiem in Milan, Puccini, the young composer who would soon be hailed as Verdi’s natural successor, completed a setting of the Mass that melded his heritage as the scion of generations of professional church musicians with the first flourishing of his instincts for sung drama
The evening will open with a selection of music from throughout Puccini’s life, including rare and well-known arias from Opera Holland Park’s principal singers, and the composer’s only string quartet, Crisantemi.
Continuing the company’s mission to increase its performances throughout the calendar year, this is a rare opportunity to hear Puccini’s first major work in the context of his later creations, and in the sublime setting and soaring acoustics of Holy Trinity, Sloane Square.
John Andrews
Conductor
David Butt Philip
Tenor
Ross Ramgobin
Baritone
Dominic Ellis Peckham
Chorus Master
Anna Patalong
Soprano
Alison Langer
Soprano
Eleanor Broomfield
Soprano
Phillip Costovski
Tenor
Joseph Buckmaster
Tenor
Upcoming Events
University of Arkansas Children’s Choir USA – 4:30pm – FREE CONCERT
The University of Arkansas Children’s Choir, founded in 1997, is a community outreach programme of the University of Arkansas Music Department. The ensemble provides young singers with training in performance, musicianship, and music theory within an inclusive and supportive environment.
Its performances span a wide range of musical styles, languages, and traditions, combining strong musical standards with energy, warmth, and a commitment to creativity and inclusivity.
Join Lewisham Choral Society – Rütti Requiem – 7:30pm
Join Lewisham Choral Society for the London premiere of Swiss composer Carl Rütti’s Requiem in the presence of the composer. This striking work was commissioned and premiered in Winchester in 2008 by the Bach Choir, who requested the same orchestration as for the Fauré Requiem: strings, harp and organ. The result was a haunting seven-movement work for double choir with soprano and baritone soloists.
Read MoreSSCS – Messa di Gloria – Giacomo Puccini – 6pm
SSCS is delighted to invite you to our Summer Concert 2026 on Sunday 5 July at 6pm, directed by Oliver Lallemant. The programme is Giacomo Puccini's Messa di Gloria and tickets are available here or on the door. You can download the flyer here. SSCS is always looking for even more members to be a part of our wonderfully fun and engaging choir. There's no audition; we welcome everyone. Email Olly for details admin@sloanesquarechoralsociety.com