''Missa Latina'' is a classical music composition written by the Puerto Rican composer

Roberto Sierra Roberto Sierra (born 9 October 1953) is a Puerto Rican composer of contemporary classical music. Life Sierra was born in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. He studied composition at the Royal College of Music and at the Hochschule für Musik in Hamburg, ...

. The work was written for SATB chorus with two soloists (a

baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...

and a

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

), and a symphonic orchestra. It was co-commissioned by the

National Symphony Orchestra The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1930 by cellist Hans Kindler, its principal performing venue is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The NSO regularly ...

and The Choral Arts Society of Washington and was written through 2003–2005. It premiered in 2006 at

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

in Washington D.C., and was also performed in the 51st

Casals Festival The Casals Festival is a classical music event celebrated every year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in honor of classical musician Pablo Casals. Background The festival was founded in 1956 by Pablo Casals. It was promoted by Teodoro Moscoso and Dav ...

in Puerto Rico. The ''

Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It covers general interest topics with an emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughout Washington, D. ...

'' judged it "the most significant symphonic premiere in the District since the late

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, o ...

's stunning

War Requiem The ''War Requiem'', Op. 66, is a choral and orchestral composition by Benjamin Britten, composed mostly in 1961 and completed in January 1962. The ''War Requiem'' was performed for the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral, in the Englis ...

was first performed in the still-unfinished Washington National Cathedral in the late 1960s

The ''Missa Latina'', "Pro Pace" (English: "For Peace"), has seven movements: *1. Introitus (The Entrance, Introduction; Sirach 36:18, Psalm 121:1) *2. Kyrie (Lord, have mercy) *3. Gloria (Glory) *4. Credo (Credo) *5. Offertorium (Offertory, Psalm 121:6–9) *6. Santus (Holy) *7. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)

Performances

*February 2–4, 2006, Washington, DC: National Symphony Orchestra, Choral Arts Society;

Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...

, conductor; Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Nathaniel Webster, baritone. *March 3, 2007,

, San Juan, Puerto Rico:

Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra (PRSO) (''Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico'' in Spanish language, Spanish) a musical ensemble sponsored by the Government of Puerto Rico. It has 80 regular musicians from around the world performing a 52-we ...

, San Juan Philharmonic Chorale;

Andreas Delfs Andreas Delfs (born 30 August 1959) is a German conductor. He is the music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor laureate of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Biography Delfs was born in Flensburg, West Germany. He bega ...

, conductor; Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Nathaniel Webster, baritone. *December 29–30, 2007, Honolulu, HI:

Honolulu Symphony The Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, formerly known as Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, was founded in 1900. It is the second oldest orchestra in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains. The orchestra now plays mainly at the Hawaii Theatre Center ...

, Honolulu Symphony Chorus;

, conductor; Olivia Gorra, soprano; Eric Owens, baritone. *October 3–4, 2008, Milwaukee, WI:

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The orchestra performs primarily at the Bradley Symphony Center in Allen-Bradley Hall. The orchestra also serves as the orchestra for Floren ...

, Milwaukee Symphony Chorus;

, conductor; Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Nathaniel Webster, baritone. *April 29, May 1 & 3, 2009, Houston Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Thomas Meglioranza, baritone. *May 31, 2009, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Grant Gershon, conductor; Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Daniel Teadt, baritone. *June 12, 2011,

Conspirare Conspirare is a choral ensemble based in Austin, Texas. They were formed in 1991 by conductor and musical director Craig Hella Johnson as New Texas Festival but did not begin to regularly perform until 1999. They have released over 25 albums a ...

Craig Hella Johnson Craig Hella Johnson (born Craig Morris Johnson; June 15, 1962) is an American choral conductor, composer, and arranger. Early life Johnson was born in Brainerd, Minnesota, and raised in Virginia, Minnesota, on the Iron Range. His father was a Lut ...

, conductor; Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Daniel Teadt, baritone. *May 15, 2016
New York Virtuoso Singers

Harold Rosenbaum Harold Rosenbaum (born January 24, 1950) is an American conductor and musician. He is the artistic director and conductor of the New York Virtuoso Singers and the Canticum Novum Singers. The New York Virtuoso Singers appear on 48 albums on lab ...

, conductor; Sharla Nafzinger, soprano; Daniel Teadt, baritone.

Recording

The work was recorded for commercial CD release on the Naxos label by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in October 2008. In 2009 Missa Latina was nominated for a GRAMMY for best contemporary composition. Compositions by Roberto Sierra Masses (music) 2006 compositions {{classical-composition-stub