St. Mark’s Basilica hasn’t always been a public church. In fact, it began its life as the Duke’s private chapel. Its choir, known as Cappella Marciana, traces its history back to at least 1316, making it one of the oldest living musical institutions in the world. Another notable element is the quantity of music that has been composed expressly for the Cappella Marciana: about two hundred choirmasters arranged a repertoire that knows no equals. Marco Gemmani is the current choirmaster. The performances of his choir are well known to anyone who finds beauty in the highest forms of music performed in an environment that cannot be replicated anywhere else. On December 19 and 20, Claudio Monteverdi’s Selva Morale e Spirituale: Vespro di Natale will show what words cannot.
