The 1977 French Cathedral Tour of the Virginia Glee Club was the group's third European tour and a highlight of the Glee Club 1976-1977 season. Held May 25 through June 8, the two-week tour was conducted by Donald Loach and included concerts in Reims, Paris, Chartres, and Arras, with additional stops in Amiens, Rouen, and Versailles. An informal performance was held in the ruins of the Abbey of St. Jean des Vignes, including one of the first Glee Club performances of the Ave Mariaof Franz Biebl.
Repertoire for the tour included the Tallis Lamentations of Jeremiah, other Renaissance compositions, and works by Poulenc and Schubert. The tour was described in an article in the Glee Club Newsletter (Spring 1977).
Itinerary
- Excursion: Amiens (May 27)
- Concert: Arras (May 27)
- Concert: Reims (May 29)
- Excursion: Rouens (May 30)
- Concert: Notre-Dame
- Concert: Chartres
Gallery
Tour itinerary 1
Tour itinerary - 2
Tour itinerary 3
Tour itinerary 4
Tour itinerary - 5
Tour itinerary - hotel list
Tour itinerary - concert list
Fliers for concert at Notre Dame.
Album Cover Letter
France 2
France 3
France 4
France 5
France 6
France 7
France group photo, courtesy Anthony Gal
Donald Loach in France, courtesy Anthony Gal