Toronto, ON - The Orpheus Choir of Toronto and Artistic Director Robert Cooper, C.M. are pleased to announce Vespers , the third concert of the choir's 45 ^th season, on Sunday February 28 ^th, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Anne's Anglican Church, 270 Gladstone Avenue, Toronto. On this occasion the Orpheus Choir joins with the award-winning Guelph Chamber Choir and conductor Gerald Neufeld to perform Rachmaninoff's lushly sonorous Vespers, or All-Night Vigil, in the beautiful Byzantine setting of St Anne's Anglican Church.

One hundred voices combine to present the intricate harmony and sonority of the Vespers, based on the evening prayer service of the Orthodox Church and sung in the original Russian. By turns haunting, serene, and magnificent, Rachmaninoff's Vespers combines unaccompanied sacred texts with stirring melodies, rich bass lines, and moving expressions of spiritual awe. Drawing on ancient chants and liturgy dating from the 14th century, this glorious Russian choral masterpiece is one of the 20 ^th century's greatest choral works.

This spirit of choral mysticism is enhanced with 21 ^st century works by Canadian composers Rupert Lang and Tim Corlis as well as the transcendent Dona Nobis Pacem by Latvian Peteris Vasks along with Latvian Eriks Esenvalds' sublime setting of Amazing Grace.

St. Anne's Anglican Church, one of Toronto's architectural gems, was built in 1907-08, and is a Byzantine Revival building with a saucer dome emulating the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The dome and chancel of the church are decorated with mural paintings executed by ten prominent artists in 1923, among whom were three members of the Group of Seven: J.E.H MacDonald, F.H Varley and Franck Carmichael. In 1998, the church was designated as a National Historic Site.

Don't miss this unique and stirring choral event!

Tickets are $30; $25 for seniors; $15 for students. For tickets and information contact: 416-530-4428, orpheuschoir@sympatico.ca or www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com

For Media information: W. Ian Walker, Emlian Communications Group 905-813-9927 or emlian2@sympatico.ca.