Christmas Concert
Thursday, 18 December 2025
8 p.m.
Offered to the city by Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
in collaboration with Assololombarda
.
Rorate caeli desuper (Canto Gregoriano)
Magnificat VIII toni (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina)
Magnificat in Re Maggiore Zwv 108 (Jan Dismas Zelenka)
O Magnum mysterium (Tomás Luis de Victoria)
Cantata Sesta Oratorio di Natale BWV 248 – Weihnachtsoratorium (Johann Sebastian Bach)
.
laBarocca Instrumental and Vocal Ensemble
Choir Master, Jacopo Facchini
Conductor, Ruben Jais
Schola Cantorum Venerandae Fabricae
Maestro Direttore, Massimo Palombella
FREE ADMISSION WITH MANDATORY RESERVATION
LIVE STREAMING ON THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL DUOMO MILANO TV
Reservations open at 4:00 p.m. on 10 December.
A longstanding tradition in Milan’s cultural calendar in the lead-up to Christmas, the great Cathedral concert offered to the city by the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano returns once again.
An event that fills the Duomo with harmony, emotion, and vibrant energy, welcoming residents and visitors from around the world through the universal language of music.
The resonant melodies blend with the architectural harmony of the Cathedral, echoing that same upward striving which inspired the city when building its iconic symbol in 1387.
The concert will take place in the Cathedral on Thursday, 18 December 2025 at 8:00 p.m. The event—organized in collaboration with Assolombarda—will feature laBarocca, the instrumental and vocal ensemble specializing in 17th- and 18th-century music conducted by Maestro Ruben Jais, together with the Schola Cantorum Venerandae Fabricae, the vocal ensemble established by the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano for concert performance based on study and research, conducted by Mons. Massimo Palombella.
The musical programme includes: Rorate caeli desuper (Gregorian Chant); Magnificat, Mode VIII by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina; Magnificat in D Major ZWV 108 by Jan Dismas Zelenka; O Magnum mysterium by Tomás Luis de Victoria; and the Sixth Cantata from the Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 – Weihnachtsoratorium by Johann Sebastian Bach.
The Christmas Concert, offered by the Veneranda Fabbrica, is not merely an event held in the Cathedral; it is a profound spiritual resonance. The masterworks of sacred music—such as Palestrina’s Magnificat and the culminating movement of Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium—take root in the very essence of our Cathedral, where the Gothic lines themselves are a song, a prayer carved in stone. The Metropolitan Chapter also embraces this occasion, which reflects Milan’s enduring commitment to uniting the beauty of art with the truth of Faith.
This excellent achievement is the fruit of the passion and expertise of Maestro Ruben Jais, who masterfully leads the instrumental and vocal Ensemble laBarocca, together with our Schola Cantorum Venerandae Fabricae under the direction of Mons. Massimo Palombella. These outstanding ensembles transform the Cathedral into more than a place of listening: it becomes a contemplative journey, where harmony prepares us to welcome the coming Light.
– Mons. Gianantonio Borgonovo, Archpriest of the Milan Duomo
The programme is designed as a journey through the pivotal centuries of European sacred music. After hearing the origins of Western art music in Gregorian Chant (Rorate caeli desuper), the listener is immersed in mature Renaissance polyphony with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina’s (1525–1594) Magnificat, Mode VIII, characterized by supreme clarity and balance of vocal writing. This is followed by Jan Dismas Zelenka’s (1679–1745) Magnificat in D Major ZWV 108, composed at the Dresden court, which reflects the timbral richness and contrapuntal complexity of the late Baroque, marked by dramatic nuances that depart from the Italian tradition of the time. The intense O magnum mysterium by Tomás Luis de Victoria then leads to the culmination of this musical itinerary, where the two ensembles join for the Sixth Cantata from the Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 (Weihnachtsoratorium) by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). Composed for the Feast of the Epiphany, this cantata encapsulates Bach’s genius: drawing on the oratorio model, it integrates virtuosic arias, dramatic recitatives, and majestic choruses, representing the apex of his contrapuntal mastery and musical artistry.
Admission to the Cathedral concert is free, subject to seat availability and will be permitted starting from 7:15 p.m.
Reservations are mandatory beginning at 4 p.m. on 10 December on the official website duomomilano.it.
You can watch the concert live via streaming on the YouTube channel Duomo Milano Tv.
In order to facilitate security checks at the entrance gates, spectators are invited to empty their pockets of any metal objects and to open their bags. Please note that entry to the Cathedral with helmets, glass objects, or suitcases is not permitted. It is not recommended to bring large bags inside the Cathedral.
In collaboration with
