Phoenix Choir - Rossini : Petite Messe Solennelle

Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle cannot decide whether it is an opera or a religious work. It is certainly a mass set to the familia latin text, but it is neither petite nor remotely solemn so calling it a “little solemn mass” is probably only a ruse to appease the very conservative church of the time. But even then, because of its female singers, it wasn’t performed in a church during Rossini’s lifetime despite his direct appeal to the Pope. Most people know Rossini through his many famous operas, most notably The Barber of Seville and William Tell. This petite messe is a similarly operatic work with grand choruses and a full suite of soloists. The Phoenix performance follows Rossini’s original and preferred arrangement for piano and harmonium, a reed organ where the player pedals the bellows. We don’t have a harmonium but will use a reed organ to mirror Rossini’s directions. His one direction we won’t be following is that it should be performed by men, women and castrati – we had no volunteers for the latter! Tickets are now available via the Phoenix Choir website.