The Jubilate Deo Choir, which is the choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral, will be giving two concerts for Passiontide entitled Miserere. The concerts, directed by Maestro di Cappella Christopher Muscat, will be held at the choir residencies on Friday at St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta, and on April 15 at Naxxar parish church.

These concerts feature sacred music spanning well over seven centuries, from Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony to works by contemporary composers. During the concerts, there will be short spiritual reflections (in Maltese) to help patrons better understand the great mystery that is being celebrated. The highlight of the evening will be Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere, a work of immense beauty and profound spirituality written during the papacy of Urban VIII strictly for use at the Cappella Sistina. However, tradition has it that upon a single hearing the young Mozart went back home and transcribed the music from memory.

Throughout its 45-year history, the Jubilate Deo Choir has established itself as one of Malta’s foremost choirs in the field of sacred music with such milestone performances as the first Maltese performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio di Natale in 2005, the revival of Paolino Vassallo’s Messa da Requiem and Charles Camilleri’s opera Il-Wegħda in 2006 as well as a number of world premiere performances including Marco Frisina’s Oratorio Fino ai Confini della Terra in 2017.

The choir is particularly renowned for its pioneering work in reviving the art of plainchant singing as well as for its refined interpretations of the polyphonic repertoire.

Entrance to both concerts, which start at 7.30pm, is free. Patrons are cordially reminded that the use of stiletto or narrow heels and the use of flash photography at St John’s Co-Cathedral is strictly prohibited.