The Gloria is a joyful hymn of praise and Puccini's Mass for Four Voices and Orchestra, as it was originally known, written as his graduation thesis when he was only 22 years of age, is an unmistakably youthful work, but shows a mature grasp of musical conventions and is evidence of his operatic promise. Puccini himself wrote: "The Almighty touched me with his little finger and said, ‘Write for the theatre - mind, only for the theatre!’ ”

This is matched well by Gounod’s St Cecilia Mass which is a skilled blend of sacred and secular (operatic) styles of composition, his outstanding gift for composing enthralling melodies shines through all the movements.

You won’t want to miss this concert! Harrogate Choral Society will be joined by soloists Georgie Malcolm, Soprano;, Richard Dowling, Tenor; and Alex Ashworth, Bass. We will be accompanied by the internationally acclaimed Manchester Camerata and conducted by our President Brian Kay.

Tickets are priced at £25 (£5 for under 16s, students and IBA)