On Saturday, September 19th at 5.30 pm the church of San Michele will host the tenth edition of “Concerto per San Michele”, one of the most important musical events of the Lucchese September and organized by the AML (Associazione Musicale Lucchese) and the Polifonica Lucchese. Under the direction of Egisto Matteucci, the city’s well-known choir and the “Luigi Boccherini” chamber orchestra will perform the Mass in E minor by Alfredo Catalani.

Soloists are soprano Mirella Di Vita, alto Christianne Bakker, tenor Marco Mustaro and bass Roberto Lorenzi.

The Mass in E minor (1872), composed by Catalani when eighteen, was to be performed in San Paolino for the feast of the city’s patron saint. However, it was performed for the first time in 1872 in San Martino cathedral and only later in San Paolino. This work was presented by Catalani as a final test for his studies at the Istituto Musicale “G. Pacini”  in Lucca  (the future “Istituto Musicale Luigi Boccherini” where Giacomo Puccini also studied) after which he went to the Paris Conservatoire.

Rounding out the concert program, will be some newly edited works by the composer when young such as “A sera” and “In un sogno”, in the version transcribed for strings, and “Andantino” and “Scherzo” for symphony orchestra.

The ticket price is 10 Euros. For information contact Associazione Musicale Lucchese, phone +390583469960.