Christmas concert : ensemble Dulci Jubilo

A Sweet Christmas

8 singers, conducted by Christopher Gibert

When we think of Christmas and its carols, it is as though timeless melodies slip into our thoughts and warm our hearts, transporting us to a world of boundless artistic inspiration. The vocal ensemble Dulci Jubilo guides us along one of Christmas’s paths, where light shines forth and gentleness reigns; for Christmas transcends the simple framework of a festival to become a moment of unity, purity and bliss.

It is in this spirit that this programme has been crafted, filled with melodies that warm the heart and spread joy. Drawing primarily on the musical treasures from across the Channel, with pieces by Britten, Holst and Leighton, it invites us to discover works that are as famous as they are unusual. For Christmas is also about those traditional carols we sing by the nativity scene or with our families – a timeless tradition that illuminates our hearts with its warm glow. To this end, the Dulci Jubilo choir has commissioned new, original arrangements, specially created by the Franco-British conductor and composer Mark Opstad. These compositions showcase a varied selection of the most beautiful French Christmas carols.

The Dulci Jubilo chamber choir has been based in Montauban, in the Toulouse region, since 2018, and is making a strong mark as an emerging ensemble in the revival of choral music in France. In a spirit of ‘sweet joy’, as the ensemble’s name suggests, these performers explore the choral repertoire from a wide range of countries and stylistic schools with sensitivity, a dreamlike quality and precision, whilst varying the musical forms from 8 to 24 singers, whether a cappella or with accompaniment. In 2023, a collaboration with the composer Thierry Escaich gave rise to a series of concerts, an album and a video series: “Le Souffle de l’âme”. Dulci Jubilo is a member of FEVIS and is in residence at the Church of Saint Eustache in Paris and at Beaulieu-en-Rouergue Abbey, a Centre des Monuments Nationaux.