Rossini had already spent decades in early retirement when he wrote his last ‘round’ of works. This is how he referred to everything he wrote after the end of his professional life. This round, the Petite messe solennelle, would become legendary.

His ‘little solemn Mass’ is certainly not little. And according to Emperor Napoleon III, it was apparently not so solemn either. Twelve voices represent the twelve apostles in an elegant and intimate choral work.

Bart Van Reyn opted for Rossini’s early, small-scale version of the Petite messe solennelle, rather than the later, more imposing orchestral score. Perhaps Van Reyn will answer the question that Rossini had asked himself: ‘Dear Lord, is this spiritual or blasphemous music? I was born to write comic opera, as you know. Not a lot of technique, a little emotion, that’s all. Blessed art thou, en please allow me to enter Paradise.'

with: Lila Hajosi (soprano), Marianne Croux (soprano), Valentin Thill (tenor), Bertrand Duby (bass), Federico Tibone (piano) and Bart Rodyns (harmonium)