Puccini Messa di Gloria 2023

In September 2023, we experimented with an Autumn Study Day –  using a relatively short but joyous piece as a vehicle for gaining insights on vocal technique from Director Robert Dean. Report back on the day from Leo, our Chair:

Puccini’s Messa di Gloria is an enchanting piece. It has become increasingly popular since its rediscovery in 1952, although still not often performed. It proved to be an ideal piece for a Study Day: wonderful music, operatic and sacred, well within the reach of singers encountering it for the first time, and, at 45 minutes long, an ideal piece for a run-through performance at the end of the day. About 60 Orpheans gathered for a thrilling study day on September 23. We were joined for the day by soloists Josh Saunders and Charlie Broad who helped to bring the performance to a magnificent operatic climax at the end of the day. As always, Robert was infectious with his enthusiasm for the piece and managed to pack an amazing amount of inspiration, choral and vocal teaching and musical delight into a most enjoyable day. The intensive study sessions of the morning and early afternoon culminated in a most satisfying performance of this wonderful work.