Join the world-renowned Monteverdi Choir and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique at Alexandra Palace Theatre for the first modern performance of Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle on period instruments, conducted by Rossini specialist Jakob Lehmann.

Praised as “dazzling” (The Observer), “thrilling” (The Times) and “revelatory” (The Telegraph), the Monteverdi Choir brings its renowned versatility from 17th-century sacred music to 19th-century opera to this extraordinary choral masterpiece. Together with the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, performing on original or replica instruments from Rossini’s era, and a cast of exceptional soloists, they recreate the rich sound world of 19th-century Paris in a work poised between devotion and drama, liturgy and theatre.

Described by Rossini as “the last of my péchés de vieillesse” (“sins of old age”), Petite messe solennelle was originally scored for twelve singers, two pianos and harmonium before being orchestrated in the final year of the composer’s life. Now, for the first time in the modern era, audiences can experience Rossini’s orchestral version on period instruments, offering a rare opportunity to hear one of his final masterpieces as it might have sounded at its 1869 Paris premiere.

Following his acclaimed BBC Proms debut, Jakob Lehmann reunites with the Monteverdi Choir after a celebrated 2025 performance of Rossini’s Stabat Mater, promising an unforgettable evening in one of London’s most atmospheric historic theatres.

“If there was a Nobel Prize for choirs, the Monteverdi Choir should be its laureate.” – Le Monde.

Age recommendation: all ages