On Saturday, 7 November, at 8:45 pm, the Duomo (cathedral) of Desenzano del Garda hosts Handel’s Messiah. The Coro Santa Maria Maddalena performs it together with Germany’s Amberger Oratorienchor to mark the 20th anniversary of the twinning between Desenzano and Amberg. Entry is free until seats run out.
The programme and the performers
The concert is a selection of 10 pieces from the oratorio, sung in the original English by more than 50 choristers. The soloists are soprano Chiara Milini and bass Alex Cerantola.
Before the performance, Franco Masseroni, president of the Associazione Amici della Musica di Desenzano (a local music association), introduces the evening with a historical and cultural overview.
The Santa Maria Maddalena choir and the choirs of Amberg
The Coro Santa Maria Maddalena was founded in 1972 and is directed by Maestro Gigi Bertagna. Its relationship with the Amberger Oratorienchor began in 2005 with a first meeting in Amberg, and has since continued with visits alternating between the two cities. In 2023 the two choirs already performed the Messiah together in Amberg.
Twenty years of twinning
The concert falls on the 20th anniversary of the twinning. Michele Tosi, president of the Coro Santa Maria Maddalena, describes it as a tribute to twenty years of cooperation and friendship between the two communities.
