Sussex choir Coro Nuovo promise world travel in their Christmas concert

The concert is on Saturday, December 2 at 7pm at the Ascension Church, Vale Road, Haywards Heath. Seats can be booked through the choir’s website: https://coronuovo.org.uk/tickets/

Spokeswoman Kate Kent said: “Making a special appearance and the guide for the evening will be Mr Phileas Fogg. Although famous for travelling around the world in 80 days, he has promised a much shorter journey on this occasion! The audience will also have the opportunity to pass through Spain and see the flamenco dancers from Hayward Heath’s Alegria Dance School. Sussex Young Musician winner 2023 Eliette Harris (violin) will also be taking part.”

It concludes a good year for the choir: “We started our tenth anniversary year with something a bit different! We like to add a bit of theatre at Christmas as it is a festival where we can add extra surprises to what can be just a carol concert. Last year as we were all emerging from Covid we wanted to do something more immersive. We enjoyed a sell-out Very Victorian Christmas Concert (costumed) and Mr Charles Dickens came and recited various pieces from his work. Zoe Barnett, our Sussex Young Musician, also played beautifully.

“For those that don’t know, Coro Nuovo are founders of the Sussex Young Musician prize which is awarded every year to the tune of £1,000 and we are delighted that this year we are able to increase the prize money and award more prizes to aspiring young musicians.

“Following on from Christmas we had a sell-out concert in March at Holy Trinity Church Cuckfield with a showstopping concert of musical theatre greats. On a very grim grey March day the church was filled with feet tapping to 42nd Street! Summer was another full house with a programme celebrating 500 years of choral music from Renaissance to Abba. This was the inaugural concert for our new music director Neil Matthews.

“This Christmas (December 2) we are going around the world guided by Mr Phileas Fogg! March will be a return visit to Cuckfield once again for a Movies theme – some surprises in store for that too. Our singers are some of the best in the south-east and enjoy the versatility of singing in a choir like Coro Nuovo challenging them with all the different genres of choral singing. Do join us for a fabulous evening of international seasonal music.”

For the Christmas concert, currently the choir are rehearsing: Hanacpachap Cuissicuinin – Bocanegra (Peru); Cantemos a Maria – Guzman (Dominican Republic); Te Kaiwhakaora – Jenny McLeod (Maori); Suo Gan – Eliette Harris – SYM (Wales); Wexford Carol – traditional carol (Ireland); Bogoroditsye Dyevo – Rachmaninov (Russia); Infant Holy, Infant Lowly – traditional carol (Poland); Riu Riu Chiu – Spanish carol; A Spotless Rose – Ola Gjeilo (Norway); Quelle est cette odeur Agreable? – traditional French; Ya Viene La Vieja – Castilian carol (Spain); Flemish Carol – traditional (Belgium, Holland); Pastoral from Corelli Christmas Concerto – Eliette Harris SYM; and Zither Carol – Czech traditional.