A capella or accompanied on the piano by Alberto Moro or the organ by Benoît Mernier, the 40 choir members of la Monnaie - de Munt gave a highly exceptional Christmas performance under the direction of Martino Faggiani.
La Monnaie has had its own choir since it was created in the beginning of the 18th century. Its workforce changed over time, according to its repertoire and guidelines.
Since 1981, the Chorus has been successively led by Gunther Wagner, Johannes Mikkelsen, Catherine Alligon, Werner Nitzer and Renato Balsadonna and Piers Maxim. Martino Faggiani became the Chorus Master in 2011.
The choir plays a major role in the Opera house, but it also focuses on the symphonic and choral repertoire. Although the Chorus regularly performs with the "la Monnaie Symphonic Orchestra", it is also often invited to join other ensembles for concerts or other musical events.
Martino Faggiani was born in Rome. After studying piano, harpsichord and composition at the Santa Cecilia conservatory in Rome, he concentrated on directing vocal ensembles. In 1992 he became Norbert Balatsch's assistant at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, where he worked on all the academy's productions and on several occasions led performances of concerts. He worked there with Claudio Abbado, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Rudolf Barshai, Fabio Biondi, Myung-Whun Chung, Daniele Gatti, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Enrique Mazzola, Kent Nagano, Daniel Oren, Georges Prêtre, Claudio Scimone, Giuseppe Sinopoli and Vladimir Spivakov. He was also chorus master of the Coro giovanile di Santa Cecilia, founded by Bruno Cagli.
Since 2000 he has been chorus master of the choir of the Teatro Regio in Parma, but he is also in demand as a guest conductor by the Chœur de Radio France in Paris, the Belcanto Chorus, a company in residence with the Reatefestival in Rieti in Italy, and others. He works with conductors like Bruno Bartoletti, Sir Colin Davis, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Riccardo Muti and Youri Temirkanov. His discography includes a recording of Assassinio nella cattedrale (Pizzetti) for Deutsche Grammophon, works by Verdi (Ernani and Macbeth) and Marino Faliero (Donizetti). His greatest successes include his collaboration with Gianluigi Gelmetti on Œdipus Rex (Stravinsky), Aida (Verdi) at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Novae de infinito laudes (Henze) and Juditha triumphans (Vivaldi) conducted by Alessandro De Marchi.
Since 2011 he has been Chorus Master of the La Monnaie-de Munt Chorus.
Program of the 7th Concert des Cœurs:
Christmas songs led by Martino Faggiani, Chorus Master
- Chorus with piano, percussions & solo tenor
- A. Ramirez - Misa Criolla
- Chorus a cappella
- C.V. Stanford - Justorum Animae
- Chorus a capella
- Anton Bruckner - Os Justi Meditabitur
- Chorus a capella
- Edvard Grieg - Ave Maria Stella
- Chorus with piano
- G. Rossini - Ave Maria
- Chorus with organ & bass solo
- G. Rossini - La nuit de Noël
- Chorus with organ
- Adolphe Adam - Minuit, chrétiens
- Chorus a capella
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- L. Recife - Tu scendi dalle stelle
- Chorus with piano
- Anonyme - Les Anges dans nos campagnes
- Chorus with organ
- M. e. Bossi - Cantate Domine