Best known for his comic operas, Rossini retained his signature joy and humour in his Petite Messe Solennelle (1863), calling it “the last mortal sin of my old age”. Written in Paris at the age of 71, this late masterpiece is neither little nor particularly solemn; instead it is an extensive choral work of drama and sensation, with elaborated and operatic passages for soloists, accompanied by the unusual duo of piano and harmonium (a small organ), making it an inspiration even for the most avant-garde of his contemporaries.
Hong Kong Voices, led by the award-winning conductor Grace Chiang, will team up with a league of young local talents and perform this choral masterwork. This is a concert surely not to be missed.