Local Choir Earns Ovation in Venice.

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Following a successful tour to Belgium in 2000, the Choir's second overseas visit saw over fifty members in Venice in 2002.

The choir's repertoire included works ranging from the 16th to the 20th century, by Italian, Austrian, German, French, Russian and British composers.

With conductor Graham Jordan Ellis and organ soloist / accompanist David Holder, the choir gave recitals in the spectacular Church of the Madonna Dell'Orto and in the Parish Church of the seaside village of Cortellazzo on the outskirts of the city. Both were greeted with standing ovations.

Highlight of the tour was the choir's participation in a Mass at the world-famous St Mark's Basilica, during which they sang Gabrieli's “Jubilate Deo”, first performed in St Mark's in 1597.

Choir chairman Lawrence Albrighton said: “For a choir from Chester to sing in Venice, for centuries one of the world's musical centres, was a truly wonderful experience, particularly the performance in St Mark's.”

“We were made most welcome by our Venetian hosts, and the enthusiastic response of those who heard the choir sing was most gratifying.”

"This tour marks another big step forward in the standards and the reputation of the choir."
The Standard

Works Performed on the Tour:

Magnificat - Antonio Vivaldi
Locus iste - Anton Bruckner
Christus factus est - Anton Bruckner
Concerto No 1 for Organ in G major BWV 592 (first movement) - J S Bach
Crucifixus pro nobis - Antonio Lotti
Lo, the full final sacrifice - Gerald Finzi
Ave Maria - Serge Rachmaninov
Humoresque “L’organo primitivo” - Pietro Yon
Jubilate Deo - Giovanni Gabriele
O magnum mysterium - Francis Poulenc
This have I done for my true love - Gustav Holst
Zadok the Priest - George Frideric Hande
Psalm Prelude, Op. 32 No 1. - Howells

This programme was also performed in the Wesley Methodist Church, St John's Street, Chester on 28th September 2002.