CHORALSPACE will present “Puccini in Florence” at the Teatro Verdi on Oct. 3 and 4, 2026.

The program will showcase Puccini’s “Messa di gloria” and Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds’ “The Light We Share,” commissioned by CHORALSPACE to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of Francis of Assisi.

The performances will bring together 1,500 singers from around the world under the direction of Simon Halsey. A second concert was added to the original single date due to demand from participating singers. The program also includes solo showcases from the Marlborough College Chapel Choir (United States), the Coro Polifonico San Francesco d’Assisi di Terni (Italy), the Dobilas Chamber Choir (Lithuania) and the Aristotle University Choir (Greece).

The Orchestra della Toscana will perform alongside the choirs, with Vincenzo Spinelli as tenor soloist and Luca Galli as bass soloist.

The Oct. 3 performance kicks off at 9 p.m. while the showcase on Oct. 4 has a 5 p.m. start time.