From Darkness to Light

We are delighted to be returning to the beautiful Benedictine church, Douai Abbey, near Woolhampton. Regular concert goers will know this is a wonderful building with a fabulous acoustic. If you have never been before, then the building alone is worth the visit.

Our programme takes us from the darkness of winter to the light of Christmas. Puccini's Requiem is moving and deeply expressive. It displays the composer's mastery of opera and his gift for emotional intensity. It was premiered in 1905. Puccini wrote his requiem to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Verdi.
Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols draws on traditional English folk melodies to create a warm and atmospheric celebration of the Christmas season, bringing moments of tenderness, joy and nostalgia.
Gabriel Fauré's Requiem is surely one of the most beloved choral works ever written. Unlike many settings of the Requiem Mass, Fauré's vision is not one of fear and judgement but of serenity and eternal rest. From the gentle beauty of the Pie Jesu to the radiant promise of In Paradisum, the work offers a message of comfort, peace and light.

Save time when you arrive and skip the queue! Buy your programme online now along with your tickets.