Last Christmas we had my partner's mother staying with us and decided to go out one evening just before Christmas. We had intended to go to the ballet, but found that everyone (Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Sadlers Wells) was doing The Nutcracker. This year, my partner and I are on our own so we decided to go to Evensong, only to find that there aren't any, everyone is doing carols.
So that tonight Westminster Abbey has said Evening Prayer and service of Lessons and Carols, with the same thing tomorrow. Over at St. Paul's Cathedral there are carol services on both afternoons, and at Southwark Cathedral said Evening Prayer this afternoon with a carol service in the evening then tomorrow there is building the crib followed by Evening Prayer.
Surely everyone doesn't want to sing carols! A few years ago we spent the Christmas holiday in Canterbury and the most magical events were attending sung Evensong on Christmas eve and sung Matins on Christmas morning. The choir was incredibly hard working as they were also singing a carol service on Christmas eve as well as Eucharist on Christmas morning.
There are alternatives, so this evening we will be at All Saints, Margaret Street where Paul Brough and his choir will be singing Byrd and plainchant. Then tomorrow we will go to Westminster Cathedral for sung Vespers (as the music list isn't up on their website I still don't know quite what they will be singing).
If we cared to drive, then we could go to Rochester (where they are doing sung Evensong both days with Ireland in F and Stanford in G) or Canterbury (where they are singing Evensong tomorrow afternoon). But it seems strange the way carols have completely taken over in London, as it that is all that tourists want.
Elsewhere on this blog:
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts this month
-
Du Yun & Royce Vavrek: Angel's Bone - English National Opera at London Coliseum [Photo: Tristram Kenton] Du Yun & Royce Vavrek...
-
Halévy: La Dame de Pique - Gothic Opera at Battersea Arts Centre [Photo: Craig Fuller] Fromental Halévy: La Dame de Pique ; Grace O’Malley,...
-
Charpentier: David and Jonathan - Harun Ellis Tekin, Tom Lilburn - New Sussex Opera [Photo: Colin Chapman] Charpentier: David and Jonathan...
-
Purcell: Dido & Aeneas - Michael Lafferty, Samantha Price - English Touring Opera [Photo: Richard Hubert Smith] Elena Langer: Ariadne ...
-
Ambroise Thomas: Hamlet - Malachy Frame, Ruari Bowen, Jacques Imbrailo, Jonathan Cole-Swinard, Jay Broadhurst, Grace Durham, Richard Wiegol...
-
Gluck: Orpheus & Eurydice (Dance of the Blessed Spirits) - Louis T Partridge & Angus Bartlett - English Touring Opera [Photo: © Ri...
-
Bellini: La sonnambula (Act Two finale) - HGO [Photo: Julian Guidera] Bellini: La sonnambula ; Eyra Norman, Hailey West, Mathilda Goike, To...
-
Wexford Festival Opera has announced its 2027 programme. Artistic director Rosetta Cucchi's theme for next year is a tribute to the extr...
-
Charles-Aimable Battaille as André Roskow in Fromental Halévy's La Dame de Pique at the Opéra Comique in 1850 Gothic Opera’s production...
-
BBC Young Musician final, 20206 - Sofia Demetriades [Photo: BBC / Betsan Evans] It was heartening to hear three such talented young people i...

No comments:
Post a Comment