Nationwide, eight-city tour to include performance at Detroit Opera House on July 11

DETROIT -- When the Sistine Chapel Choir's angelic voices graced Detroit in September 2017, their performance was billed as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity for the Motor City.

Not so fast.

The Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina, as Pope Francis' personal chorus is officially known, was so impressed during its first U.S. visit in 30 years that it's decided to return for an encore.

The choir announced March 27 it is returning to the United States for an eight-city tour in July, including a performance July 11 at the Detroit Opera House. The choir will also perform in Atlanta, New York City, St. Louis, Miami, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.

"The Sistine Chapel Choir is delighted and honored to embark on our historic first U.S. national tour," Maestro Msgr. Massimo Palombella, who leads the Sistine Chapel Choir, said in a statement. "We are excited to experience the many great cities we will visit and look forward to sharing our cutting-edge research and study of Renaissance music, directly from the archives of the Sistine Chapel, preserved in the Vatican Library, to audiences across America."

During its 2017 visit, which was coordinated by Northville-based pilgrimage company Corporate Travel, the choir stopped only in New York, Washington, D.C., and Detroit. This summer's tour is being coordinated through a partnership of Concerts West/AEG Presents, Brokaw Co. and TEI, though Corporate Travel will again sponsor the choir's Detroit performance.

So far, only one performance has been announced for the Motor City; in September, the choir also visited Ste. Anne de Detroit Parish and the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The Opera House is again expected to sell out, though ticket information has not yet been released for the July 11 performance.

The Sistine Chapel Choir is the oldest active choir in the world, with archives dating back to at least the 6th century. Under Msgr. Palombella's leadership, the choir has experienced a rebirth in the Renaissance classics that built its reputation as a world-class chorus.

The choir is composed of 20 men chosen from across the globe, as well as 35 boys ages 9 to 13, who comprise the choir's treble section, the Pueri Cantores. The choir regularly takes part in papal liturgical celebrations at St. Peter's Basilica, as well as its namesake chapel in Rome.

In addition to its Detroit performance, the Sistine Chapel Choir's U.S. tour schedule is as follows:

• July 3: Fox Theatre (Atlanta)


• July 7: Radio City Music Hall (New York)


• July 9: The Fabulous Fox Theatre (St. Louis)


• July 11: Detroit Opera House (Detroit)


• July 13: James L. Knight Center (Miami)


• July 17: Wang Theatre (Boston)


• July 21: Aire Crown Theatre (Chicago)


• July 23: Microsoft Theatre (Los Angeles)

For additional tour information, visit SistineChapelChoirTour.com.