Join the Cantilena Chamber Choir on Sunday, December 6th, at 3:00 PM for "Christmas at Trinity," a beloved tradition in Lenox. This concert will feature Ottorino Respighi’s Lauda per la Natività del Signore (Laud to the Nativity), and traditional Christmas music by Parsons, Mendelssohn, and Richard Rodney Bennet.
Ottorino Respighi’s Lauda per la Natività del Signore (Laud to the Nativity) is a luminous masterpiece of the holiday repertoire. Composed between 1928 and 1930, this intimate chamber cantata stands as Respighi’s only sacred choral work. While famous for his massive Roman tone poems, Respighi scales down to a delicate, archaic sound world here. He sets a 13th-century devotional text by Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi, scoring the piece for soloists, chorus, and a rustic ensemble of pastoral woodwinds, piano four-hands, and triangle. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of the humble shepherds. A soaring coloratura Angel awakens the world, the rustic shepherds journey to the stable, and Mary sings a tender, awe-filled lullaby to the newborn child. Melding ancient medieval plainchant with lush 20th-century harmonies, the work celebrates the miracle of Christmas with profound warmth and breathtaking clarity.
Featured soprano soloist Robin Steitz is based in Lee, Massachusetts, recognized for her versatility across opera, chamber music, and contemporary repertoire. Recent highlights include the roles of Cunegonde in Candide with Northern Lights Music Festival, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with OperaDelaware, and Madame Herz in Mozats's The Impresario with Opera Baltimore. Engagements this season include the roles of Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Opera Delaware and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas with Opera Baltimore. She was a Tanglewood Voice Fellow in 2018 and 2019.
The Cantilena Chamber Choir, now in its 23rd season under the direction of Dr. Andrea Goodman, comprises 24 dedicated singers of the highest caliber, each possessing vocal training, excellent sight-reading skills, and considerable choral experience. Dr. Goodman has held professorships at the Cincinnati Conservatory, New York University, and Skidmore College and has performed with choirs and at music festivals worldwide, including those in Aspen, St. Petersburg, Paris, Rome, and Vienna.
Tickets: $35 for general admission, $25 for seniors, with free admission for students. Trinity Church is located at 88 Walker Street, Lenox. For tickets and more information, visit www.cantilenachoir.org or contact us at 518-791-0185 or satbchoir@yahoo.com. This concert is part of the music series at Trinity Church for the 2026-27 season. Additional concerts this season will be held on January 17 and May 16.