St. Anselm Church music director branches out

April 17, 2013 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

St. Anselm music dir..jpg

Share this:

The music director of Saint Anselm Roman Catholic Church in Bay Ridge is leaving “Amazing Grace” and other hymns behind, at least for one night, to perform Beethoven’s glorious Ninth Symphony.

Soprano Therese Panicali, who can be found every Sunday leading the congregation in song at masses at St. Anselm Church on Fourth Avenue and 82nd Street, will be one of the featured performers in a special concert at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church, 157 Montague St., on Saturday, April 27, at 8 p.m.

Panicali will be joined by Metropolitan Opera tenor John Horton Murray, New York City Opera bass Gregory Sheppard, newcomer Marti Boger, the Brooklyn Conservatory Chorale and theMetro Chamber Orchestra in presenting Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

The symphony marks the conclusion of the Metro Chamber Orchestra’s 10th anniversary season. The group is Brooklyn’s only professional chamber orchestra.

“Anyone who has visited St. Anselm’s knows of the prodigious vocal talent of its music director, Therese Panicali,” a church spokesman said.

“Not too many people realize that Ms. Panicali has a career outside of her duties there,” the spokesman said.

Panicali has appeared in concerts in Cairo, on the shores of the Black Sea, and locally, with the Queens Symphony. She recently she appeared in a Verdi gala singing the title role of “Aida.”

For more information on the April 27 concert, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/327895. Tickets are also available at the door on the night of the concert.