Music lovers are in for a treat as the world-renowned official papal choir, the Cappella Sistina, will perform a concert of sacred music on Saturday to mark the inauguration of Gozo’s newest museum, the Il-Ħaġar – The Heart of Gozo.

The concert will be held at St George’s Basilica, Victoria, and is expected to kickstart a series of cultural, religious and educational initiatives.

The choir came into being in AD590 at the express wishes of Pope Gregory the Great. In 1471, the choir was restructured by Pope Sixtus VI, hence its name Cappella Sistina.

Through the years it has been conducted by all-time greats, such as Palestrina and de Morales. Currently, the 71-strong choir is under the direction of Massimo Palombella and the entourage features prominent Vatican officials.

The choir projects a style of interpretation which unites an artistic and aesthetic sensibility with a religious and spiritual one. The concert will span the entire liturgical year, with particular emphasis on lent.

Motets by some outstanding composers, such as Palestrina, will be performed, including the famous Credo from the Missa Papae Marcelli, a groundbreaking composition.

The visit of the papal choir consolidates the deep friendship between the choir and the Basilica of St George’s choir, Laudate Pueri. In fact, the treble section of the papal choir, known as the Pueri Cantores, had sung at the basilica in 1956 under the direction of Padre Vittorio Catena. More recently, in 2006, the papal choir performed a concert of sacred motets in the basilica under the direction of Giuseppe Liberto.

On the occasion, the papal choir was visiting Malta to celebrate Malta’s spiritual father, St Paul. The basilica’s choir, Laudate Pueri, is well known for its untiring efforts to promote the papal choir’s Roman school of interpretation on our islands.

The concert will be held at St George’s Basilica, Victoria, on Saturday at 8pm. Entrance is free.

Antone Vassallo is chairman, Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria.