The UGA Camber Choir will be performing under the direction of Dr. Mitos Andaya at the Conservatorio Superior "Manuel Castillo", in the city of Sevilla. on Wednesday, May 25th 2011, at 8:30 P.M.
The University of Georgia Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Mitos Andaya, will perform at the very famous Sinagogue del Transito in Toledo on Saturday, May 21st 2011, at 8:00 P.M.
eyday under his reign (1350-1369), as they were protected even when a Papal Bulla had banned the erection of new Hebrew temples, and only allowed the refurbishment of those already constructed. When King Don Pedro built it, he defied all the laws about synagogues being smaller and lower than churches.
In the 16th century it became a church of Saint Benito. Later at the 17th century the name changed into Church of the Nuestra Senora del Transito. The name derives from the painting: Transit of Virgin. The synagogue was also used as military headquarters during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1877 the building became a national monument. The transformation of the building into the Sephardi Museum, as it is now officially called, started around 1910. 
Dating from the 14th century, Toledo’s Santo Tomé is best known for housing El Greco’s most famous painting, The Burial of Count Orgaz.
The chosen painter was El Greco, who served as a member of the church. The painting was unveiled by Christmas of that year and immediately attracted attention. Spectators were especially impressed by the inclusions of realistic portraits of the Toledo’s most notable figures of the time posing as onlookers. The painting portrays the burial of Count Orgaz with the posthumous assistance of Saint Augustine and Saint Stephen miraculously appearing to thank the Count for his donations to all the religious institutions named after them. 
The UGA Chamber Choir concludes its 2009 Incantato Italy Tour with two performances at the Vatican. The singers directed by Dr. Mitos Andaya will be the featured guest choir for High Mass at St. Peter's Basilica at 5 pm and then present a special recital in the Sistine Chapel.
Constituting the core of Vatican City, Saint Peter’s Basilica is the principal and one of the largest churches of the Christian world.
The present structure was built mainly between 1506 and 1626 on the original site of the Vatican cemetery and an early shrine to St. Peter. In the 4th century, Emperor Constantine built the first church of St. Peter, a wood-roofed basilica, with transepts, five aisles, and an atrium. It was said to be built over the grave of St. Peter. Here, Charlemagne and many other emperors and popes were crowned. In 1452, Pope Nicholas V. undertook the rebuilding of the choir and transepts after a design by Bernardo Rossellino. Pope Julius II appointed architect Bramante to rebuild the church in 1506. He appears to have originally planned a symmetrical Greek cross with a great dome over the center. Bramante was succeeded by Raphael (1514), Antonio da San Gallo (1520), and Michelangelo (1547), who completed the building up to the drum of the great dome. Giacomo della Porta modified the design and completed the dome.
Throughout the 16th century, there was controversy over the final form in which the church would be built - the centralized Greek cruciform plan or the shape of a Latin cross. The problem was resolved in favor of the Latin cross plan, when Carlo Maderno added the nave and facade (1607-14). Unfortunately his additions obscured the dome. The church was dedicated by Urban VIII in 1626. Between 1629 and 1662, Bernini completed the great composition of St. Peter's, creating a forecourt preceded by a majestic elliptical piazza bounded by quadruple colonnades. The great obelisk of Heliopolis, brought to Rome by Caligula, was moved by Domenico Fontana, and now adorns the center of the piazza. A monumental avenue leading to the piazza was added by Mussolini. From 1996 to 1999, the facade of the church was cleaned, and a dull straw color restored to lower portions of it.
The huge scale of all the elements of the interior prevents any accurate notion of its magnitude, and its effectiveness is chiefly due to the dome, which is 404 ft (123 m) high from the pavement. The interior diameter of the dome, 137 ft (42 m) is one of the largest in the world.
Beneath, it is the high altar covered by Bernini's superb bronze baldachino. At this altar only the pope may read Mass. The interior with its colored marbles, its sculptures, and its gilt and fresco decorations gives an effect of multicolored space.
Opening hours: Oct-Mar 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Apr-Sep 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Address: Piazza San Pietro, Roma -- Phone: 
(+39) ...
-- Website: www.vatican.va
The Church of Montacuto, today called Montù Beccaria, was erected in honor of St. Michael the Archangel (San Michele Arcangelo) in August 1303 by Pope Boniface VIII, as declared in the will of Count Manfredi Beccaria. The building features numerous architectural styles ranging from Medieval to Baroque. The church seats about 300 people and is known as a prime concert venue in the Pavia region of Lombardia. San Michele Arcangelo is located in a beautiful yet rather unknown area of Italy. At Incantato, we encourage the fine choirs traveling with us to step off the beaten path for a full immersion into the local culture.
The Vatican Museums are indisputably one of the finest collections of art in the world. Over the centuries, Papal patrons have commissioned renowned works such as the magnificent frescoes of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, and those by Raphael in his stanze. The museums also host some of the most important sculptures from the ancient world, such as the Laocoon and the Apollo Belvedere. Incantato Tours is thrilled to offer the UGA Chamber Choir and friends the opportunity to see these works as they were originally viewed and contemplated by the Popes who created the Museums. A private after-hours visit during your 2009 Incantato Performance Tour to Italy is truly a once in a lifetime experience, a chance to have this astounding collection to yourself and fellow tour members for two hours.
Incantato's private visit to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel will be led by a specialized docent/expert
Please note that not all galleries will be accessible to us during this after hours visit. The Pinacoteca and Egyptian collections are not available for viewing after closing hours. The opportunity to view the Belvedere Courtyard is also dependent on the route the Vatican guards allow us to take. We normally spend a significant amount of time (35-40 minutes) inside the Sistine Chapel and divide the rest of our time between the Gallery of Maps, Tapestry Gallery, and Raphael Rooms, including other collections as time and security permits.
St. Mark's Basilica majestically symbolizes the lagoon and enshrines the history of Venice. It was originally built in 828 to house the Evangelist Mark, whose body Venetian merchants stole from his tomb in Alexandria, Egypt, because Muslims were going to desecrate the church where it was laid to rest. The basilica had to be reconstructed after a fire in 976. Doge Domenico Contarini decided to rebuild the church on the same Greek cross plan as the previous one. In 1096, it was consecrated, but the decorative work continued until the beginning of the 19th century.
The present church is modeled on the 6th century Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople with an equal-sided cross, surmounted by five symmetrically placed monumental domes. The light is thus directed towards the centre of the basilica, leaving the side aisles in comparative shadow. The west wing was later enlarged by adding a surrounding narthex. The marble columns and slabs, the mosaics and carvings, the paintings and statuary, the gold and jeweled icons and the countless other treasures in the building reflect many centuries of Venetian dominance over the eastern Mediterranean. The basilica is situated front and center of the magnificent Piazza San Marco, the highlight for every tourist visiting Venice.
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