Monday, June 21, 2010

Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm: Finale Highlight Concert at Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci in Naples

On Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm the singers of QOV under the direction of Nathan J. Kreitzer are going to perform their finale highlight concert at Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci during their Italy Performance Tour with Incantato.

The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci is one of the most beautiful baroque churches in Naples and was constructed by the convent of the Francescani Osservanti in 1581. The beautiful sculptures were built by Cosimo Fanzago (1591-1678), an Italian architect. The facade of the church is decorated with white and gray marble. Two lovely angels are greeting the visitors. They are the work of Fanzago as well. After an earthquake in 1980 the entire structure was restored. The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci hosts by the way the grave of the Italian jurist Giuseppe de Gemmis (1734-1812).
Click here to go to the origin of the picture.

Next stop: Naples

Naples is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role in the country's history and beyond throughout much of its existence, which began more than 2,800 years ago. Naples is located halfway between two volcanic areas, the volcano Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, sitting on the coast by the Gulf of Naples. Founded in the 8th century BC, as a Greek colony, before under the name of Parthenope, and later Neápolis (New City), Naples is one of the oldest cities in the world, and it held an important role in Magna Graecia; while when the city became part of the Roman Republic in the central province of the Empire, was a major cultural center (Virgil is one of the symbol of the political and cultural freedom of Naples). The city has seen a multitude of civilizations come and go, each leaving their mark: now the historic city centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Naples was preeminently the capital city of a kingdom which bore its name from 1282 until 1816 in the form of the Kingdom of Naples, then in union with Sicily it was the capital of the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification. Naples has profoundly influenced many areas of Europe and beyond. The city proper has a population of around 1 million people: Naples is the most densely populated major city in Italy. The city is also synonymous with pizza, which originated in the city. A strong part of Neapolitan culture which has had wide reaching effects is music, including the invention of the romantic guitar and the mandolin as well as strong contributions to opera and folk standards. There are popular characters and figures who have come to symbolise Naples; these include the patron saint of the city Januarius, Pulcinella, and the Sirens from the epic Greek poem the Odyssey.

Quire Close-ups from Amalfi




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Quire of Voyces 2010 Italy Tour: "Sometimes I feel" by M. Eglin in Amalfi

Buongiorno Debbie!

Ciao cara amica, Maureen asked me to tell you everyone says hello and misses you dearly! We are so happy you enjoy the blog and get a chance to "experience" Italy with Quire at least virtually. Arriverderci from Sandra

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Quire of Voyces at Basilica del Crocifisso

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Quire of Voyces enchantes Amalfi: "You brought Heaven to us"

Quire of Voyces home away from home for June 21 & 22: Grand Hotel Oriente in Naples

Quire of Voyces 2010 Italy Tour: Ave Maria by Eglin at Basilica San Pietro

Quire of Voyces 2010 Italy Tour: "Angele Dei" by Giuseppe di Bianco a Ma...

Quire of Voyces Italy Tour 2010: Biebl "Ave Maria" in Maiori

"Siete Bravi! Ma mamma mia che siete bravi!" - First fomal Quire concerto in Italia a great success

The Quire of Voyces took Maiori by storm. Their first highlight concert at the Church of San Francesco was a great success.
The singers from Santa Barbara, California under the direction of Nathan Kreitzer were warmly welcomed by already over 150 people, but the audience continued to grow and soon there was standing room only. Since there was non-stop opening and closing of the chuch gates, the Parish Priest, Don Domenico re-opened the doors and the locals just kept coming in. The audience loved the various selections from the Quire repertoire and in particular Michael Eglin's arrangement of the popular spiritual "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child!". The people of Maiori demanded not one but two encores. Minute-long applause and standing ovations were followed by an emotional speech and thank yous from Don Domenico who was so moved that he uttered: "Siete bravi! Mamma mia che siete bravi!"

Concert Impressions from San Francesco in Maiori on June 19




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Quire Concert in Maiori - Pre-Performance Impressions




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Saturday, June 19, 2010

QOV Venue on Sunday, June 20, at 9 pm: Basilica del Crocifisso in Amalfi

The Basilica del Crocifisso in Amalfi welcomes the Quire of Voyces on Sunday, June 20, at 9 pm. It is the most ancient basilica in Amalfi and goes back to the 9th century. The basilica is dedicated to the saints Cosma and Damiano. Inside you can find some beautiful ancient works like a marble coffin which has been containing the mortal remains of the archbishop Andrea de Palearea since 1449. The basilica is part of the Duomo with - as well - its Paradiso Cloister and the precious Carta d’Amalfi. The Duomo overlooks the Piazza Duomo, the heart of Amalfi. It dates back to the 11th century. On the picture you can see the Duomo.

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The Quire Bella Italia Tour blog has already received over 5,000 page visits and we thank you for interest in the adventures of the Santa Barbara based choir under the direction of Nathan Kreitzer. Now that the group is on the ground in beautiful Italy, the blog may be updated several times per day with pictures and videos. Don't forget to check out older posts as well. And just in case you don't want to miss anything, you can receive regular updates by becomming a follower or leave comments and greetings by hitting the comment buttons after every post entry. Don't worry, your email address is safe and you won't be contacted with anything but Quire news. Arriverderci!