May 22– It was a very early morning! Since we didn’t arrive back at our hotel till after 1:30am, we only got a few hours of sleep before our 8am departure for the airport. It was well worth it because of the wonderful evening we had with our friends in Camgliano. It was a quiet ride from Florence to Rome, as most everyone slept. We checked in at the airport and boarded the plane without any problem. With lots of superb memories of our trip, we bid Italy, “Ciao” . . . until next time!
May 21–Free time in the morning and early afternoon included shopping in the market and numerous stores, and visits to a few museums and churches. We departed at 2pm for Lucca, the birthplace of opera composer Giacomo Puccini. Upon arrival, we met Claudia, member of the Corale Giacomo Puccini who gave us a brief tour of the city. We saw Puccini’s house, ate some yummy pizza and cecina, a chickpea pizza, at Pizzeria da Felica, and sampled some amazing gelato at Gelateria Veneta.
After a sunshiny afternoon in Lucca, we depart for Camigliano, where we rehearsed and then had a joint concert with Corale G. Puccini. 
The concert scheduled to start at 9pm didn’t actually start till almost 9:20pm. The Corale sang about six songs and finished performing at approximately 9:50pm. The Chamber Choir started singing shortly thereafter and the concert ended at almost 11pm. The church was packed with an audience of choral music lovers. They were so appreciative of the high-quality musicianship of the Chamber Choir. 
Of all the choirs they hosted, they said that we were the best! Following the concert, we adjourned to a fabulous reception with home foods, including pasta, bean, cheeses, meats, dolci and, of course, wine and prosecco. There was more singing and exchanging of appreciation for each other’s choirs; we made some new friends. The evening finally came to a close after midnight. Well-fed and happy, we boarded our bus and heading back to Florence; it was a wonderful way to end out trip in Italy! 
May 20–We began our day with guided tour of the Accademia, where we saw Michaelangelo’s The Prisoners, a series of “unfinished” sculptures for the tomb of Pope Julian, as well as his masterpiece, David. Our local guide, Sasha, did a great job of engaging us to think critically about this most famous sculpture. Following the tour, we had free time, which included shopping, dining al fresco, and, of course, eating gelato. We rendezvoused back at the hotel for a 5:15pm departure for our rehearsal and concert at Chiesa di Santa Margherita in Santa Maria dei Ricci. The church was built in 1508 and had amazing acoustics, which made singing there a true pleasure. The concert was well attended from with people from all over the world. After the concert, we celebrated our successful concert over dinner together at a local restaurant.
May 19–This morning we had an early departure for Florence via boat and high-speed train. The train was extremely comfortable and cruised along at 300 km per hour (186 miles per hour). Upon arrival, we met a coach bus for transfer to our hotel. We checked in and had a little time to settle in before walking into the city center. Once Daniel gave us the lay of the city, we were free to explore on our own for the rest of the day.
May 18–We began our day with a guided walking of Venice. We saw St. Mark’s square, the Doge’s palace, the Rialto Bridge (which was under renovation), and the church where Vivaldi worked, among many other sights. The afternoon and evening was free for us to explore all that Venice had to offer. 
Annie Philips shared the following original haiku:
Photos can’t capture
Sensation of being part
Of a perfect chord
We departed Spoleto just after 8am and traveled via our coach bus to Mestre on the mainland, just across from Venice. The trip, minus a few stops for a restroom break and lunch, was approximately 5.5 hours. Upon arrival, we boarded a private boat with our luggage for transfer to the hotel. Our hotel was formerly a 
dormitory and tradeschool for orphans in the 19th century that had been completely renovated and updated. After we checked in, we had a little while to settle in and explore the city before our rehearsal. We then walked through the narrow street and on several bridges over the canals to St. Mark’s square. At 6:40pm, we sang mass for the Feast of the Ascension in St. Mark’s Basilica and received accolades from the priest and worshippers, including a couple from Connecticut. It was very special to sing in such a historic venue! Later, we had dinner on our own and enjoyed a beautiful evening in Venice; though we discovered that they do not serve gelato after 10pm.
We began today with breakfast at the Convent at 8:30am and then drove about 45 minutes to the town of Assisi. We toured the beautiful papal Basilica of San Francesco (St. Francis of Assisi), perched high on the mountain. 
Our guide Friar Julian, who was originally from Brooklyn, NY, shared with us the story of Francis’s life and devotion to serving those in need. With the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, Francis began the order of the Franciscans. We viewed the crypt where Francis was buried as well as the frescos of both the lower and upper churches that recount his life’s journey.Our visit concluded with an informal concert in the upper church for all of the many visitors.
We first met the husband-and-wife owners, Antonio and Suzanna. Antonio, who spoke little English, took us on a tour of the farm, and our own Mark Sayre served as translator. Great job, Mark! We learned how they recycle and purify water, provide land for retired race horses to roam freely, and are restoring the population of rabbits to the Umbria region.
While on the farm, Antonio explained that the turkeys respond to certain frequencies, and gave everyone a chance to say, “Bongiorno Signore Tacchino!” (Good day, Mr. Turkey!) to see if they would respond. They responded a bit to Dr. Paparo, and more to Matt Garrity, but 
they went crazy when they heard Ben Walton. To further encourage their excitement, Ben sang his solo from the spiritual, “Lord, I Got My Ticket” and we all joined in with a rousing performance, while the turkeys continued with their rhythmic exclamations.
After the tour, we had some time to relax around the cabana overlooking the pool, hot tub, and volleyball court, and whet our appetites for the degustazione that followed. During the degustazione, we had a very hearty tasting of the local specialties, including cheeses, focaccia bread, grilled vegetables, prosciutto, pasta, sausages, ribs, wine, and much more. It was truly a feast!
Following dinner, we showed our appreciation by singing two songs, before saying goodnight to our gracious hosts. With full bellies and happy hearts, we rode back to Spoleto for the night.
Bus driver Luciano and tour manager Daniel
This morning, we left the crowded and bustling capitol of Rome and drove about two and a half hours to Spoleto, a quiet and picturesque town in the mountains of the Umbria region in central Italy. Dr. Thornton had spent two summers (1989 and 1990) here as a participant in the renowned Spoleto Festival. Upon arrival, the nuns welcomed us to the 17th century Spoleto Convent, which will be our home for the next three nights.
We rehearsed in the Convent’s small chapel before exploring the town. Tour manager Daniel led us up the windy stone streets to the Piazza del Mercato, where we had free time for lunch. We then performed an informal concert in the portico of the grand Duomo for a crowd that grew larger and larger as we sang.
Many of the audience members expressed their appreciation for our music that echoed beautifully throughout the entire piazza. Following the concert, we walked up to the medieval aqueduct and followed trails in the mountain around the ducal fortress.
Later in the afternoon, we had free time to shop, sit al fresco, and, of course, eat gelato. At 7:30pm, a large group of us gathered at La Barcaccia, a restaurant that Dr. Thornton remembered fondly. La Barcaccia literally means “the broken boat,” and in the theater, it refers to the loges on the side of the theater where the critics sit. We were treated to an incredibly delicious three-course dinner of antipasto, salata verdi, and penne alla norcina con funghi. 
As a thank you for the wonderful food and service, we serenaded the owner and his staff (including his wife and daughter). It was an opportunity for us to experience dinner alla famiglia that we will not soon forget. The night ended with pregos all around!
Beautiful sunrise in Rome
Today, we enjoyed the numerous sights, sounds, and tastes that Rome has to offer! We departed our hotel a little after 7am and en route, Dr. Thornton surprised us all with news that we would have the special opportunity to take part in a private mass and sing in St. Peter’s Bascilica in the Vatican.
Father Michael Pierz
Father Michael Pierz, a priest from the Springfield (MA) Diocese, celebrated mass at the altar of St. John XXIII, who was recently canonized.
Chamber Choir sings “Tu es Petrus”
Following mass, the choir sang “Tu es Petrus” by Orlando di Lasso in front of Bernini’s Confessio Sancti Petri, where the words of this text are inscribed in the dome directly above. We send a special thank you to Fr. Gary Daley, UMass Newman Center, for making the introduction with his friend Fr. Pierz. While in the Bascilica, we also had the chance to view Michaelangelo’s Pietà. It was well worth getting up so early!
Michaelangelo’s Pietà
We met our fabulous guide Wally and toured the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, known for its masterpiece ceiling, painted by Michealangelo. We had lunch on our own, which was a chance to explore various restaurants around the Piazza Risorgimento. After lunch, we reconvened and embarked on a walking tour. We first visited the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, a Papal major basilica. We then walked through the city to the Trevi Fountain, which was under renovation. We had some free time to wander around and sample our first (and second) gelatos of the trip! We continued on to the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the famous domed Pantheon, and concluded our tour at St. Andrea della Valle.
Sunlight through the open dome of the Pantheon
In each location, the choir sang a few songs, which attracted attentive and appreciative audiences. At the end of the tour, we said goodbye Wally and thanked her for sharing her vast knowledge about Rome. We will miss her warm, “mamma mia” personality.
Tonight we were free to explore the city and have dinner on our own. We look forward to sharing stories of our adventures on the bus tomorrow morning when we depart for Spoleto! Ciao!
