Ethel Smyth & W.A. Mozart

British composer Ethel Smyth’s Mass in D for choir, orchestra, and soloists is a monumental achievement. Written in the mid-19th century, it was dismissed by critics who deemed women composers unequal to their male counterparts. Seattle Pro Musica hails this stunning and seldom-heard piece as more than equal. 

We pair this groundbreaking work with Mozart’s beloved “Great” Mass in C minor for one performance only in the magnificent acoustic of St. James Cathedral.

With soloists Tess Altiveros, soprano; Miriam Gnagy, soprano; Dawn Padula, mezzo; Zachary Finkelstein, tenor; and Charles Robert Stephens, baritone.

In person: Saturday, May 20, 2023 ‐ 8pm
St. James Cathedral – 9th & Marion, Seattle

Seattle Pro Musica strongly encourages all audience members to remain masked for in-person events. Singers, orchestra members, and soloists will test to unmask and perform.

Streaming: Saturday, May 27, 2023 ‐ 7:30pm
online, free; donations gratefully accepted

premiering on YouTube on May 27 and available on-demand for 30 days

“SPM pulled out all the stops, glorying in the powerful emotions, contrasts, and colorful sound worlds of a full-blown symphonic-choral score. It’s not often we get to hear them perform on this scale — and the results were nothing short of thrilling.
”
— Thomas May, Memeteria

Special thanks to our season and program sponsors for Ethel Smyth & W.A. Mozart:

Listen to excerpts:

Mass in D (Gloria) - Ethel Smyth

Born in 1858, Ethel Smyth was both a composer and a defiant member of the British women's suffrage movement. Her "Mass in D" is a monumental work, which George Bernard Shaw called "magnificent!"

"Great" Mass in C minor (Kyrie) - Mozart

One of Mozart's masterpieces, the Mass in C minor was left unfinished (as was the famous Requiem). Listeners may recognize the Kyrie movement from the 1984 film Amadeus.

Accessibility at our venues:

St. James Cathedral: Wheelchair access is available in the Northeast (Marion St.) and Southern (Columbia St.) vestibules of the Cathedral. Additionally, many chairs can be removed to accommodate wheelchairs.