Friends of fine choral music in Rome are sure in for a treat: The magnificent church of Sant'Agnese in Agone on the gorgeous Piazza Navona is the third and final concert venue for the University of South Carolina Concert Choir on their 2011 Incantato Italy Performance Tour 2011. The choir from Columbia, South Carolina under the direction of Dr. Larry Wyatt is presenting sacred works for choir, Saxophone, French Horn and Viola in a feature concert at 6 PM on Thursday, March 10, 2011.
The Basilica Sant’Agnese in Agone in Rome was constructed in 1652 on the site of Saint Agnes’ martyrdom, now the location of the Piazza Navona. The designs for the Baroque church were commissioned by Pope Innocent X, whose funerary monument now lies within the church. The Pope’s family even had a large palace adjacent to the church. Baroque architect Francesco Borromini ultimately introduced a concave volume in the center of the sanctuary, creating prime acoustics for vocal music. Visitors enjoy the interior’s premier sculptural artwork, accented by the marble relief found in the main altar, as well as Bernini’s famous Fountain of the Four Rivers that lies in front of the church.
