Festa Veneziana
On 27 June 2026, the Cantores Chamber Choir invites audiences to step into the splendour of Renaissance Venice with Festa Veneziana, a vibrant concert at the Parish Church of St John Baptist Cirencester.
At the heart of the programme are magnificent polychoral works by Andrea Gabrieli and his nephew Giovanni Gabrieli, whose music helped establish Venice — and the great Basilica of San Marco — as the musical capital of Europe. Their spectacular cori spezzati (“split choir”) style, written for multiple choirs and instruments positioned around the church galleries, created dramatic surround-sound effects centuries ahead of their time.
Highlights include Giovanni Gabrieli’s exuberant Jubilate Deo à 15 and Plaudite omnis terra à 12, music that would once have accompanied major Venetian state celebrations. Alongside these grand ceremonial works are more intimate and expressive motets, revealing the composers’ extraordinary contrapuntal skill and emotional depth.
The programme also explores music by the lesser-known but highly influential Gioseffo Guami and Giovanni Battista Grillo. Grillo’s works from the 1618 collection Sacri concentus ac symphoniae appear in modern edition for the first time, shedding fresh light on a rich musical tradition often overshadowed by the Gabrielis.
With radiant choral textures, Cantores Chamber Choir directed by Simon Harper joins forces with the celebrated early music ensemble His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts and tenor soloist James Beddoe. Festa Veneziana promises an evening of colour, splendour and celebration, transporting audiences from the heart of the Cotswolds to the opulent sound world of Renaissance Venice.
Tickets £20 (U18s & Students £5)
or from Cirencester Local Information Centre, Bingham House, 1 Dyer Street, Cirencester GL7 2PP