Messiah – a Christmas concert given in the 1980s – has risen from the ashes with Messiah downtown. The initiative was taken by Franco-Mauritian pianist Gino Montille. Performances December 20 and 21 at 7pm at the Caudan Arts Centre.
Hénry Rotile
Messiah downtown is a nod to the sumptuous Christmas concerts given in the 1980s at Saint-Louis Cathedral in Port-Louis. The choir was directed by Yves Candassamy and Percy Appadoo, accompanied by the Police Orchestra under the direction of Paul Domingue.
It was precisely this enchantment that Gino Montille wanted to bring back to life for the Mauritian public: “I remember attending his concerts when I was a teenager. 35 years later, I wanted to bring him back to life through the Messiah downtown concert,” explains the pianist.
This time, however, the concept will be different: “This concert will also be a cultural exchange between France and Mauritius. Choristers from Island Voices (Mauritius) and the Ensemble Vocal Crescendo (France) will join forces to perform a dozen sung texts, including the famous Hallelujah. Another innovation for this concert is that it will be performed in 4-hand piano, with my Mauritian friend Kenneth Babajee. Christmas Carol will also be on the program.
Tickets are on sale at the Caudan Arts Centre at Rs 600 (standard) and Rs 800 (VIP).
