Classical Event Details

Concert: Lineage: French Choral Masterworks

Cathedral of Saint Paul in Twin Cities metro | Friday, October 30, 2026 at 7:30 PM CDT

When

Friday, October 30, 2026 at 7:30 PM CDT

Where

Cathedral of Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Twin Cities metro

Address

239 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55102

Step into the Cathedral of Saint Paul for an evening of music as awe-inspiring as the space itself. Four generations of French composers converge in one performance, linking teacher to student in this grand season opener. The evening concludes with Hector Berlioz’s Te Deum featuring more than 200 voices, full orchestra, and twelve harps. VocalEssence brings to life this masterwork of epic proportions written for the architecture of the Cathedral itself—where organ and orchestra play across the nave, answering each other in dialogue. Join us for an immersive experience that’s sure to take your breath away! TICKETS PERFORMERS Andy McCullough, tenor VocalEssence Chorus VocalEssence Ensemble Singers Symphony Orchestra Philip Brunelle , conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III , conductor PROGRAM Choeur Triomphal, Saint-Saëns O Sacrum Convivium, Messiaen Sustinuit anima mea, from De Profundis, Dupré Exsultate Deo , Poulenc Ubi Caritas , from Four Motets, Duruflé Jesu, Dulcis Memoria , Villette Laudamus Te , from Gloria, Poulenc Psalm 84 , Widor Te Deum, Berlioz THINGS TO KNOW The composers featured on the first half of the program trace a line of French teachers and students. Charles-Marie Widor taught Marcel Dupré and Maurice Duruflé taught Pierre Villette, who was influenced by the music of another featured composer, Francis Poulenc. Poulenc shared that the inspiration behind Laudamus Te , from Gloria, and it’s giddy, skipping energy, was the sight of solemn Benedictine monks playing soccer. Hector Berlioz’s Te Deum was composed in 1849, but the first performance of the monumental work wasn’t until six years later on April 30, 1855 at the Church of Saint Eustache in Paris with an ensemble of 950 performers! VENUE INFORMATION Seating at the Cathedral is general admission; however, some sections have a restricted view and are priced accordingly. Click the button below to view a map of the Cathedral seating options. Cathedral Map