Cathedral Concert Series presents
The Lord Nelson Mass

The Cathedral Concert Series presents Franz Josef Haydn's timeless masterpiece, The Lord Nelson Mass, in the resounding acoustics of Corpus Christi Cathedral. Lee Gwozdz and Dr. Guadalupe Rivera, Jr. conduct the Cathedral Choirs of over 100 Voices and members from the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra. 

The performance will take place on Friday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For VIP memberships and priority reserved seating call (361) 888-7444.

Featured as guest soloist and returning to her hometown will be our own Cathedral Choir Alumni Dee Donasco.  Other soloists for the Mass will be Belissa Perea, Alto, Rene Gonzalez, Tenor, and Quentin Zundt - all members of the Cathedral Pontifical Chorale. The concert will open with The Heaven’s Are Telling from The Creation of Haydn featuring Cathedral Choir soloists Seline Smith, Soprano, Rene Gonzalez, Tenor and Alfredo Vera, Bass. Ron Ledbetter, Principal Trumpeter of the CCSO, will perform a baroque duet with Dee Donasco Let the Bright Seraphim from George Friederic Handel’s "Samson".

The centerpiece of this evening’s concert will be Josef Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass. This work was written over a six-week period in the summer of 1798, when the monarchies of Europe were absolutely terrorized by word of Bonaparte’s fleet escaping the British blockade. The French general’s victories over the armies of the surrounding monarchies had already made him the most powerful man in Europe, and the prospect of his gaining control over the Mediterranean as well had the noblemen seeing visions of the guillotine. When Admiral Nelson cornered the French fleet near Alexandria and blew it to pieces, the rest of Europe breathed a sigh of relief, and Haydn dedicated the mass to the Admiral.  

Dee Donasco

Award winning Philippine-born soprano Dee Donasco  has attracted attention in the classical and musical theatre world with a voice that is versatile, clear, and rich in tone, which she combines with elegant legato phrasing, impeccable coloratura along with her irresistibly engaging personality and compelling commitment to character on stage.  Equally at home with opera, oratorio or recital, and accomplished in works ranging from baroque to modern contemporary, she brings rewarding vocal and dramatic range to her work, as The Dallas Morning News writes of her performance with Voices of Change: “What made the experience riveting was soprano Dee Donasco’s amazing singing. She negotiated wide leaps with uncanny precision — indeed, artistry — with an enameled tone of real beauty.” 

Donasco earned her Master's degree in Music and Performance Diploma at Southern Methodist University with a full scholarship. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi.  Since 2012, she has served as Adjunct Professor of Voice and Lyric Theater Director at the University of Dallas where she has directed musical theater revues, Menotti's The Telephone and Bernstein's Candide. 

Recent guest artist engagements include her debut with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for the sold out Valentine's “Pops In Love” concerts appearing alongside Broadway star, John Cudia, performances of John Adams' Grand Pianola Music with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Foundation Holiday Celebration, Holiday Concert with Allen Philharmonic Orchestra, and critically acclaimed performances as the title role in Mozart's  Bastien und Bastienne and Alba in Rodriguez' La Curandera with Opera Piccola San Antonio.