Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli your venue in Rome, Italy

Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, better known by its shorter name Santa Maria degli Angeli, is a unique Renaissance church in Rome.
It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to the angels, and to Christian slaves who died building the baths.

In 1541, a Sicilian priest had a vision of angels in the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian. As a result, Pope Pius IV ordered that a church be built within the Baths. The church was designed by Michelangelo, who began work in 1563 but died a year later in 1564. His design was completed by Jacopo Lo Duca, a student of Michelangelo.

The exterior has a unique appearance for a church, since its outer walls consist in part of the brick of the Baths of Diocletian. Although the interior has changed considerably and the floor has been raised a few feet, Santa Maria degli Angeli is one of the places where you can best appreciate the size and splendor of the Roman imperial baths.
Like most churches in Rome, Santa Maria degli Angeli is filled with art and monumental tombs and also has some holy relics.

The Choir is going perform a highlight concert at this magnificent venue on July 7, 2014 at 9:00 pm.

Notre Dame Cathedral welcomes Belcanto on July 4 at 11 am for a special recital

Notre Dame Cathedral, or Notre Dame de Paris, is for many the most important church in all of Paris, and it stands as the official chair of the Archdiocese of Paris. How fitting that the first performance in France's capital city for Belcanto will take place here on Friday, July 5, at 11 am. The 100+ voice touring choir under the direction of Mr. Bruce Koliha will be the featured guest performers for an exclusive recital at the main altar. 

The Notre Dame Cathedral is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothis architecture in France and throughout Europe. It was one of the very first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction spanned the entire Gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass windows show a heavy influence of naturalism, unlike that of the earlier Romanesque architecture.

The cathedral suffered extensive desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, during which much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. An extensive restoration project was completed in the 19^th century, returning the cathedral to its original state.

Although several organs have been installed in the cathedral throughout its existence, many were inadequate for the size and acoustical structure of the building. The current organ, installed in the 19^th century, is the master work of Aristide Cavaille-Coll. This organ boasts 7,800 pipes, 900 of them classified as historical, 111 stops, five 56-key manuals, and a 32-key pedal board. A two-year restoration of the instrument was completed in 1992, making the organ completely computerized under three local area networks.

 
The Notre Dame Cathedral bell towers house five bells. The great bourdon bell, Emmanuel, is located in the south tower, weighs just over 13 tons, and tolls to mark the hours of the day and various special occasions. On the night of August 24, 1944, as the Ile de la Cite was taken by an advance column of French and Allied armored troops and elements of the Resistance, it was the tolling of the Emmanuel that alerted the city that liberation was under way.


Photos courtesy of Wikipedia and Superstock.com

Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine: Belcanto's second concert venue in Paris on Independence Day at 4 pm

Belcanto directed by Mr. Bruce Koliha presents a special concert in the afternoon of July 4, 2014 at the wonderful Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine (Church of St. Mary Magdalene or Madeleine Church) in Paris, which is a majestic work of art. It is a Roman Catholic church occupying a commanding position in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The concert begins at 4 pm, but if you want to join the group for the rehearsal prior, you are welcome to do so.

The construction of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene began in 1806 by Pierre-Alexandre Vignon. It is built in the neo-classical style, was inspired by the Maison Carrée at Nimes, one of the best-preserved of all Roman temples,and is surrounded by 52 Corinthian columns embracing the church and each column reaches a height of 20 meters.
The building was intended as a monument to the glory of the Napoleon's Grande Armée. This commemorative role, however, was assumed instead by the Arc de Triomphe, and in 1816 the Madeleine was made a church by the restored Bourbon regime. Its interior, completed between 1828 and 1842 under the supervision of Jean-Jacques Huvé, was modeled on the Roman bath. After the fall of Napoleon, King Louis XVIII declared that the building would become a church and it was rededicated to Mary Magdalene.

Nowadays, the Madeleine Church has continued to be the church that the Parisian elite have flocked to for weddings and, alternatively, for funerals. One of the most memorable funerals was Chopin’s in 1849 when Mozart’s Requiem was sung.

What a lot of people do not know... There is a small restaurant in the basement of the church with an entrance on its flower market side. Here in the basement is La Foyer de la Madeleine open for lunch Monday to Friday, 11:45 am to 2:00 pm, except in August and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Belcanto performance venue: Southwark Cathedral welcome the singers and Mr. Koliha on Wednesday, July 2 at 4:30 pm

The Southwark Cathedral is located on the south bank of the River Thames, close to the London Bridge. Nearby is the historic Borough Market and the Cathedral stands at the oldest crossing point of the tidal Thames. This was the only entrance to the city of London across the river for many centuries and a key point in the city infrastructure. Southwark Cathedral cordially welcomes Belcanto directed by Bruce Koliha for the first concert of their Enchanting Europe Tour on Wednesday, July 2 at 4:30 pm. There are no tickets for the performance, thus we recommend to come early for the best seats. 
It is believed that there has been a place of worship located on this site since around AD 606. However, there also may have been a church there earlier. Archaeological evidence suggests that a Roman pagan place of worship was located here well before. 

Nevertheless, the Southwark Cathedral is the oldest cathedral church building in London, having been "re-founded" by two Norman knights as a priory in 1106. While some parts of the building still date back to the 12th century, many of the original medieval features also remain. 
The Nave was re-built in 1895 to the design of Sir Arthur Blomfield. Beyond the Crossing in the oldest complete part of the building, the Choir and Retrochoir, dating back to the 13th century. Located at the end of the Choir is the Great Screen of 1520, filled with statues from the early 20th century. There is also a monument to Shakespeare, carved in 1912, and a memorial window installed in 1954.

Belcanto Incantato Concert Venue in France: Chateau Vaux le Vicomte on Saturday, July 5 at noon

Just over an hour drive southeast of Paris you will find the stunning Chateau Vaux le Vicomte. With it's beautifully well kept gardens and fountains and statues placed throughout the grounds, you won't question why there have been movies and famous photo shoots taken here using the grand Chateau as it's background. 

The centerpiece of it's grounds and better known as the head turning optical illusion would be considered the large reflecting pools that are bordered by grottos and statues. A man was employed to work out the details in his design for this 'hidden distortion' in order to establish a different perspective for the people. The reflecting pools are narrower at the closest point to the viewer, (which would be from when you are standing at the rear of the chateau and looking out) than at their farthest point. This was deliberately done to make them appear closer to you. Once you are walking through the gardens you will then truly realize how large the premises are. 

Belcanto under the direction of Mr. Bruce Koliha will present a concert in the Grand Hall on Saturday, July 5, 2014 at noon. The 100+ singers have been cordially invited by the Chateau team and together with their families and friends will have a chance to also explore and enjoy this stunning place. 

Belcanto finale 2010 European Tour Concert takes place at St. Michael's Church in Budapest on July 4 at 3 pm

On Sunday, July 4, at 3 pm, the singers from Danville, CA, are presenting their last formal concert in the heart of Budapest, at the beautiful baroque church of St. Michael.
Here is a short history of the finale concert venue for the ensemble under the direction of Mr. Bruce Koliha:
The Church of St Michael was built in the 18th century on the spot of a medieval dominican church destroyed during turkish wars. A temporary chapel was standing here between 1700 and 1716, present church was finished only by 1765. Figure of Virgin Mary adorning its frontal facade is considered to be created by Donner. Statues of Saint Dominic and Saint Thomas Aquinas carved by Joseph Hebenstreit also decorate this facade. The church had a vivid history in the XIXth century: although destroyed by fire and floods, it managed to survive and got restored. The latest restoration started in 1999. The single-naved church was decorated with ceiling frescoes and side paintings in the middle of the 18th century. The main altar, inlaid benches, furniture of the sacristy date back to 1760, they are works of Dominican monks. The main altar shows St. Dominic with Virgin Mary handing a rosary to him. Statues of important religious persons in connection with the Dominican order can be found around the painting. On the left: statue of Pope Pius V. and St. Antoninus, Archbishop of Florence. On the right: St. Augustine and Pope Innocent V. The first organ of the church was built in 1801 by organ builder Joseph Herodek which was entirely rebuilt by company Rieger in 1893. It was again renovated in 1951. Baroque statues depicting King David playing the harp and two angels are shown on the top of the organ.

Belcanto sings at the Benedictine Abbey of Goettweig on Saturday, July 3, at 4 pm

The abbey is situated on the Göttweig Mountain and - because of its location - sometimes called the Austrian Montecassino. The Monastery founded in 1083 by Saint Altmann sits on a hill 449 m above sea level in the Dunkelsteiner Forest south of the city of Krems, on the eastern edge of the world-famous Danube Valley called the Wachau. With the Wachau, Göttweig was in 2001 placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. And on Saturday, July 3, at 4 pm, Belcanto will be performing in the prestigious Stiftskirche pictured below.

At first, Augustines worked here, to be followed in 1094 by Benedictine monks from the Monastery of St. Blasien in the Black Forest. The Benedictines have been living, learning and teaching on Göttweig Mountain for more than 900 years. The goal of their life is to glorify God in prayer and work according to the Rule of their Order’s founder, Saint Benedict, the Patron Saint of Europe. Currently 54 monks belong to the monastic community. More than 30 of them give pastoral care to parishioners and pilgrims in the Dioceses of Vienna and St. Pölten. Forestry and viticulture have been the economic basis of the Monastery since it was founded - today completed by various touristic and economic efforts. For more information, visit the official website Benediktiner Stift Goettweig.

Incantato Performance Venue for June 30 at 6 pm: Belcanto sings at Chapel of St. Ann in Panenské Břežany

The beautiful Chapel of St. Ann was built by architect Jan Blažej Santini Aichel in the 18th century. It is the Incantato performance venue for Belcanto on June 30 at 6 pm. The chapel is based on circles crossing each other in intricate ways. The organ is precious and can be used for concerts.
Jan Blažej Santini Aichel (February 3, 1677 - December 7, 1723) was a Czech architect of Italian descent, whose major works represent a curious amalgam of the Gothic and Baroque styles. Santini was born in Prague to a family of stonemasons. His grandfather Antonin Aichel moved from Italy to Prague in the 30th of the 17th century. Borromini's influence is apparent in his predilection for star-shaped forms and complex symbolism. Many of his buildings are airy and elegant, yet he was considered a maverick genius by his contemporaries and exerted little influence on subsequent generations of Bohemian architects.

Belcanto performs at Church of St. Havel in Chlumec u Ústí nad Labem on Monday, June 28, at 5 pm - Exchange concert!

Incantato Tours proudly presents the Belcanto concert venue for Monday, June 28 at 5 pm: Kostel s. Havla (Church of St. Havel) in Chlumec u Ústí nad Labem. And it's not only the church that makes the performance on that day special: You are going to meet and sing together with the local choir, "Chlumecky pevecky sbor". Concert Manager for Central Europe, Karolina, connected with the local choir and their director for a special exchange and concert in 2007, and a friendship started between the group and several of us at Incantato. In 2009, the Chlumec Choir visited the US and the choir they had hosted - now for 2010, they invited the Monte Vista High School Choir to visit them and their families. To learn more about the choir, please click here.
Today's Church of St. Havel was built on the site of an older Gothic church, around the year 1359. In 1590 it was rebuilt in Baroque style. 1813 the church was damaged and some years later rebuilt again. In the tower there is a beautiful bell (1687) designed by Nicholas Loew. Inside you can also find historic Renaissance tombs of the noble family Kölbl von Geising. The organ dates from the year 1852.

Belcanto sings at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche in Berlin on Sunday, June 27, at 6 pm

On Sunday, June 27, at 6 pm the Belcanto singers will perform at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche in Berlin during the choir vesper.

The Protestant Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (in German: Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche) is located on the Kurfürstendamm in the center of the Breitscheidplatz. The original church on the site was built in the 1890s. It was badly damaged in a bombing raid in 1943. The present building, which consists of a church with an attached foyer and a separate belfry with an attached chapel, was built between 1959 and 1963. The damaged spire of the old church has been retained and its ground floor has been made into a memorial hall.
The foundation stone for the old church was laid on March 22, 1891. The competition for the design was won by Franz Schwechten who planned for a large church to be built in neo-romanesque style, including 2,740 square meters of wall mosaic. The spire was 113 meters (370' and 8.81") in stature and the nave seated over 2,000 people. The church was consecrated on September 1, 1895. By this time of the consecration the entrance hall in the lower section had not been completed. This was opened and consecrated on February 22, 1906. In the Second World War, on the night of November 23, 1943, the church was irreparably damaged in an air raid. The church was largely destroyed but part of the spire and much of the entrance hall survived. The entrance hall in the base of the damaged spire was reopened to visitors, having been consecrated on 7 January 1987.
Its floor contains a mosaic of the Archangel Michael fighting the dragon. The vault shows a procession of Hohenzollern princes, early and more recent. Other mosaics show important monarchs in medieval Germany, Reformation thinkers and Reformation princes. Bas-relief sculptures illustrate scenes from biblical stories, scenes from the life of Kaiser Wilhelm I and symbolic figures representing war and peace. In the north apse are 16 display panels which tell the story of the old church and its destruction. At the opposite end of the hall are three items which symbolize the history of the church. In the middle is a damaged statue of Christ which originally stood on the altar of the old church. To its right is the Cross of Nails which was made from nails in the roof timbers of Coventry Cathedral. This cathedral had been severely damaged in a German air raid on 14 November 1940. To the left of the statue of Christ is an icon cross which was given by the Russian Orthodox Church and handed over in 1988. Outside the hall are four sandstone figures made by Stefan Kaehne.

The pictures are from the official website of the church.

Belcanto performs at the Church of St. Anthony in Poznań on Friday, June 25, at 7:15 pm

Incantato proudly presents the Belcanto performance venue for Friday, June 25, 7:15 pm: the Church of St. Anthony in Poznań. Here is some information about this special venue:
The conventuals (black friars) settled in Poznań in the 17th century. The church was commissioned from Jan Koński and built atop Castle Hill (presently Przemysł Hill) in the years 1674-1757. The monastery was erected in the years 1672-1749 east of the church but it was partly dismantled after the suppression of the order in 1834; only the north part survived to the present day. In the 19th century the church was given to German Catholics by the Prussian authorities. The black friars returned in 1921. Heavily damaged in the war, the church was renovated in 1945.
It is a basilica with the nave flanked by two aisles that stop at two chapels; there is also a chapel in the west aisle and a gallery over three bays in both aisles. The presbytery and the nave are covered with a barrel vault with lunettes, the aisles are groin vaulted whereas the chapel adjoining the west aisle is sail vaulted. Both chapels at the end of the aisles have domes with lanterns. The church is lavishly decorated with stucco-work and the polychrome decoration from around 1702 is the work of the Franciscan monk Adam Swach.
The nave is adjoined by two square chapels covered with domes and topped by lanterns. The Chapel of Mother of God was built in 1681 and it features the miraculous painting of Mother of God, Our Lady of Poznań. It is a copy of the miraculous painting from the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Consolation from Borek - Zdzież.

A great way to get to know Budapest: Virtual 3-D Tour

Check out this special link that takes you on a interactive video tour of Budapest.
You can even check out St. Michael Church, the venue for Belcanto's finale tour concert.

UA Schola Cantorum singing at Göttweig