(photos) (notes for you) (musical events) (our friends)

Founded in 1808 with the aim of enlivening the liturgy in the Collegiata di Sant’Andrea (the cathedral) in Empoli, the Società Corale Santa Cecilia is the town’s oldest musical society. Over the years the importance of the choir as grown to such an extent that it now plays an active part not only in liturgy but also in concerts and operas.

In fact in 1997 the choir took part in a theatrical work about Vivaldi’s life, singing items from his Magnificat and Beatus Vir.

In 1998 it collaborated with Centro Studi Musicali F. Busoni in Rossini’s “Barber of Seville”

In July this year the choir sang in Donizetti’s “Elisir d’Amore” and during the jubilee

celebrations in September, took part with 10,000 other singers in a Mass in St. Peter’s celebrated by Pope John Paul II.

In October the society took part, with other choirs coming from Germany, France and Ireland, in the “International Millennium Concert”, musical event organised by the Callington Singers (Cornwall) in the Parish Church in Tavistock. In that occasion the “Avoca Singers” (Ireland), the “Callington Singers” (Cornwall), the “Chorale Chantarelle” (France), the “Corale Santa Cecilia” (Italy) and the “Kantorei Barsbuttel” (Germany) sang together Fauré’s Requiem.

At present Corale Santa Cecilia has 60 members and is conducted by M.° Susanna Camilletti, assisted by M.° Vettori, principal organist at the Collegiata di S. Andrea in Empoli.