A festive midnight mass

It’s clear that Charpentier felt Christmas was a time to celebrate. He wrote the Messe de Minuit pour Noël, a cheerful midnight mass in a light-hearted Baroque style. For the melodies, Charpentier drew upon ten popular French Christmas carols. Música Temprana and the National Mixed Youth Choir sing the mass, as well as some of the original French songs. As usual, Música Temprana also takes a detour to South America by singing music from the Jesuit missions. There, priests and indigenous residents wrote hymns in a baroque style, with lyrics in local South American languages. You can count on Música Temprana and the National Mixed Youth Choir for a colourful concert, followed by a swinging after-party in the foyer.