INTERVIEW: London native carries on traditions of Sistine Chapel Choir
Photo: St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City plays host to many appearances of the Sistine Chapel Choir, who accompany Pope Francis for liturgical celebrations. Photo by John Soltes.
For Americans wishing to see the Sistine Chapel Choir on tour this summer, they might have to wait a little bit longer — or book a plane ticket to Rome.
There was much anticipation over the choir’s first-ever expansive tour of the United States, especially after their headline-grabbing concert at the Met gala earlier in the year. Unfortunately for expectant fans, the so-called Pope’s Choir has canceled its planned U.S. tour; however, the group of singers still claim a dignified spot at the Vatican and can be heard at special celebrations with Pope Francis.
One of the choristers who was most excited for the tour was Mark Spyropoulos, a native of London who was a choral scholar at Trinity College and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The baritone eventually made the move to Italy and joined the illustrious ranks of the Sistine Chapel Choir, a group that dates back approximately 1,500 years and is based at the Vatican.
Before the official announcement of the tour’s cancellation, Spyropoulos exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox to discuss his upbringing and experiences with the Pope’s Choir. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
In 2015, what was your motivation for joining the Sistine Chapel Choir?
I grew up in southern England and have been singing in choirs since the age of 10. I knew the great English choirs well, but I had … often wondered about the mysterious choir of the Sistine Chapel that sang for the Pope beneath the frescoes of Michelangelo. After I left school, I went to Trinity College in Dublin to read music and then to the Guildhall School of Music in London and later English National Opera, to train to be an opera singer. It was several years later whilst looking for work as an opera singer in Italy that I was directed to the Sistine Chapel Choir and Maestro Palombella who, to my great fortune, liked my voice and my experience and offered me a place.
What has been the highlight so far with the choir?
I have had several wonderful experiences singing in the Sistina, many big events, services and concerts. But the thing which is most special for me is the recordings. In the middle of the night (when the chapel is empty), we record music that was written for the Sistine Chapel in the Sistine Chapel. Over the recording days, we become deeply immersed in this sublime repertoire, all the while surrounded by the greatest art of the period. The perfect synthesis of art and music is intoxicating.
What was it like to perform at the Met’s annual gala?
Wow, what an occasion that was! Walking on stage and seeing a selection of the world’s biggest celebrities calmly sitting in front of me wearing unbelievable clothes is something I won’t forget in a hurry! For all it’s crazy flamboyance, I thought the event was actually very beautiful, and the clothes (costumes?) were a hell of a testament to the imagination and creativity of New York designers!
Rihanna (who was famously dressed as a Renaissance pope) was seated in the front row directly in front of me. She seemed focused, calm, almost serene throughout. When I was lucky enough to speak to her afterwards, she told me how incredibly moving and ‘deeply beautiful’ she thought it was. I confess at that moment I fell a bit in love.
What is special about singing sacred music, especially sometimes in the presence of the pontiff?
This music has an awesome power. It may seem a little strange at first (it should, it’s 500 years old), but that’s because it is constructed in a very different way to more modern music. Generally we think of music as being based around one big tune, supported by other parts. This music is based around the idea of ‘polyphony,’ lots of simultaneous yet independent melodic lines which fit together creating a kind of musical architecture. The effect is not an obvious big tune; it is a profoundly beautiful musical experience which infuses into the subconscious, creating a kind of musical detox.
When we sing for the Pope, we sing huge services for thousands of people. Our job is to bring to these enormous occasions a moment of calm and spiritual reflection.
What can audiences expect from the North American tour? (Note: Unfortunately the tour has been canceled.)
This music represents some of the finest music from the vast Vatican archives. It is the music that the Sistine Chapel Choir sang during the private papal celebrations in the Sistine Chapel in the 16th century. Some of this music has not been heard for centuries, and it is extremely beautiful. One of my favourite pieces is the famous Allegri ‘Miserere,’ which we sing using the 1661 edition from the Vatican archives, first recorded on our 2015 disc Cantate Domino.
Does this love of music go back to when you were a child?
I first discovered choral singing, age 10, when my parents packed me off on a summer course for a week, to what they thought was a fun music summer camp. It was in fact an intensive training course for cathedral choristers — and I loved it. On the Monday morning I knew only silly school songs, [but] by Sunday evening I was completely immersed in the world of Mozart’s Requiem. It was life changing, and I’ve never looked back. Why parents and schools withhold classical music from children is a mystery to me; it was the greatest gift I ever received.
How demanding is the scheduling, practicing, etc. for the Sistine Chapel Choir?
The choir rehearses three hours every day in the school in central Rome. On top of that there are services, concerts, tours, recordings and of course our primary duty, the papal celebrations. It is a full-time professional commitment, which is as rewarding as it is hard work. As the Papal Choir, the pressures are such that there is a high level of expectation. Maestro Palombella is insistent that only the highest standards are acceptable, and he won’t stop until we achieve them. This can be a tough process, but then we wouldn’t have it any other way.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Click here to follow Mark Spyropoulos on Twitter.
