''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 in Europe, notably with György Ligeti in Hamburg (1979–1982), Germany. Af ...

. The work was written for SATB chorus with two soloists (a baritone and a soprano), and a symphonic orchestra. It was co-commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and The Choral Arts Society of Washington and was written through 2003–2005. It premiered in 2006 at

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

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 Davi ...

in Puerto Rico. The ''

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

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

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

's stunning

War Requiem The ''War Requiem'', Op. 66, is a large-scale setting of the Requiem composed by Benjamin Britten mostly in 1961 and completed in January 1962. The ''War Requiem'' was performed for the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral, which was bui ...

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, 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 be ...

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

Honolulu Symphony The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, formerly known as Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, was founded in 1900. It is the second oldest orchestra in the USA west of the Rocky Mountains. The orchestra now plays at Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall and the Hawaii Th ...

, 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 Florentine ...

, 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 and ...

Craig Hella Johnson Craig Morris Hella Johnson (born Craig Morris Johnson, June 15, 1962) is an American choral conductor, composer, and arranger. Life and career Johnson was born on June 15, 1962 in Crow Wing County, Minnesota to Morris Melvin Johnson (1929-2015) a ...

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