Mary's European Christmas
Thursday 11 December 2025, 19:30 – 21:30
St Botolph's Church [ map ]
Bishopsgate
London EC2M 3TL
tickets £18.00, reduced price tickets £15.00
Orlando Chamber Choir
Daniel Gethin, guest director
Francesca Massey, organ
Orlando Chamber Choir invites you to a journey through Europe to experience the myriad texts and musical works written in celebration of Mary.
At Christmas, our attention turns to the birth of Jesus, but during Advent, the focus is on his mother as she herself travels to Bethlehem. The Ave Maria and the Magnificat – Mary’s song upon learning she is to become the Mother of Christ – are amongst the most sung words in choral music, here set by Clemens non Papa and Esquivel. Alongside them we sing more traditional Christmas repertoire, like Lo, how a rose e’er blooming and Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, set in German and Latin by Distler and Sweelinck. The programme is completed with seasonal curiosities including Poulenc’s composition inspired by a trip to the Black Virgin statue in Rocamadour, and two lullabies from Mary to her newborn son by H. Praetorius and Byrd.
With music representing Italian, French, Spanish, Germanic, Flemish and English musical traditions, interspersed with traditional Christmas carols, we hope to take you with us round the churches and Christmas markets of Europe before landing you home again. In the interval, there will be wine, mince pies and their European relatives, Stollen and panettone.
