May 19 - Andrew Kelley & Patrick Driscoll

Buona domenica da Firenze!

Today has been a relatively light day for singers and dancers, alike - a nice change of pace following such a busy Saturday. We all awoke to the pitter-patter of Florentine rain outside our pensione windows, enjoyed a light breakfast, and made our way to the Basilica di Santa Croce, where we provided the music for the 11am Mass. For me, it was perhaps the most moving and humbling experience thus far.

The building, itself, was spectacular; the artwork, vaulted ceilings, altars, relics, and stained-glass windows were all breath-taking. The stories of its history were also quite fascinating; it was founded by THE Franciscan, St. Francis of Assisi (Assisi refers to the place where the Basilica stands). The frescos, triptychs, and portraits in the Basilica illustrate not only the life of Christ, but also that of St. Francis and the story of the True Cross - the cross from Calgary that serves as one of the foci of Franciscan theology. This particular sanctuary is also renowned for being the "Temple of the Italian Glories," as it is home to the remains of Galileo, Rossini, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and more. Standing next to the sarcophagi of these great people after a week of experiencing their city and their art was surreal, bringing the experience full-circle, in a way.

While the Basilica de Santa Croce is a home to many things worth writing about, none of them can rival the experience of singing in it. How wonderful, soul-stirring, and humbling it was to crawl into a choir stall that had been a site of monastic worship since the 1400s, a stall that had belonged to a great number of monks before me. How many scores of singers have sat in that chair? By what right do I sit in it? It was a beautiful experience, sharing in a centuries-old tradition of making sacred music at Santa Croce. To be counted among one of the many spiritual healers of Santa Croce's history is an honor worth writing home about.

- Andrew Kelley

It was a rain-filled morning. Walking along, single file through the streets, eager for the next part of our adventure. The streets of Firenze hide the next set of buildings from view. It’s something I love about the city, the height of the buildings makes each new street a surprise. When we arrived to the church where we would be singing mass, Santa Croce, it stood taller than everything around it. It’s beautiful stained glass windows were visible from across the piazza. We were ushered inside and given a historical, religious talk about the significance of the building. The paintings of its walls served as an appeal to the common man, being much less expensive than mosaic. They displayed the “true history of the cross” that was said to have its own origin story. The stained glass windows surrounding the altar and choir stalls depicted various saints that together shined on the crucifix hanging in the middle. Our friar and guide said that this was to show the light and history of the saints shining through the light of Jesus life. Our guide said that Saint Francis, whose life was shown on an over 700-year-old tablet of wood, led the greatest theological understanding of the cross. The final aspect of the church that astounded everyone was the many famous Italians buried there. Rossini, Galileo, Machiavelli, and more all found their resting place in Santa Croce.

Singing in the church was a beautiful opportunity and we all felt very blessed to be able to perform in such a huge, echoing space. When we cut off a phrase, we could hear our own sound continue down length of the church. Later on that day, we enjoyed an opera named La Straniera by Bellini. The opera hall was large but the voice of the soprano was larger. She, along with the baritone Waldeburgo, impressed everyone with their incredible, accurate singing. A great day in Firenze and I can’t wait for our performance in the Pergola.

- Patrick Driscoll