St Mark’s Basilica hosts Tallis Scholars on 17 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 05:02 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
At St Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), The Tallis Scholars perform on 17 October 2026 as part of Biennale Musica in Venice, Italy. The concert places a modern choral commission alongside medieval, Renaissance and twentieth-century sacred music inside the city’s cathedral.
The Tallis Scholars bring a new work to Venice on 17 October
The concert begins at 9pm on 17 October 2026, according to the Biennale Musica programme. The English vocal ensemble performs under conductor Peter Phillips, in collaboration with the basilica and its Procuratoria.
The programme includes works by Hildegard von Bingen, Arvo Pärt and Gregorio Allegri. It also presents a world premiere by Kara-Lis Coverdale, commissioned by La Biennale di Venezia, while Pärt’s Da pacem Domine carries a Gregorian melody through the contralto line.
St Mark’s Basilica connects the concert with centuries of sacred music
The building stands at the eastern end of St Mark’s Square, beside the Doge’s Palace. The official basilica site identifies it as a central religious and public landmark in Venice and lists the Procurator’s Office at San Marco, 328.
The present church was begun in 1063 and traditionally consecrated in 1094. It became the cathedral of Venice in 1807, after the patriarchal seat moved from San Pietro di Castello. Its Greek-cross plan, five domes and gilded mosaics provide a direct architectural setting for a programme built around the history of Christian chant.
The city’s visitor authority describes more than 8,000 square metres of golden mosaics across the domes, vaults and walls. That long visual history complements a concert that moves from Hildegard’s twelfth-century compositions to Allegri, Pärt and a newly commissioned work.
What the October concert means for a visit to Venice
The Tallis Scholars appear at the basilica during the 2026 edition of Biennale Musica, whose programme uses historic Venetian venues alongside contemporary cultural spaces. The concert’s location is therefore not simply a city-centre address: the event is presented in a functioning cathedral with a long tradition of sacred performance.
The official listing gives the date, 17 October 2026, the 9pm start and the basilica as the venue. It also identifies admission with a ticket, while the programme page does not state a price or a restriction such as invitation-only access.
Visiting St Mark’s Basilica: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Tallis Scholars concert takes place at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice on 17 October 2026 at 9pm.
- The event is a ticketed concert, and its programme page names the basilica as the venue.
- The building is at the eastern end of St Mark’s Square, beside the Doge’s Palace, in central Venice.
- Visitors encounter a five-domed Greek-cross church with extensive gilded mosaics and a long-standing religious function.
- English is widely used in visitor services, while Italian is the official language of Italy and the national currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about St Mark’s Basilica
When do The Tallis Scholars perform at St Mark’s Basilica?
The concert takes place on 17 October 2026 at 9pm as part of Biennale Musica.
Where is St Mark’s Basilica and how do you get there?
It stands at the eastern end of St Mark’s Square in central Venice, beside the Doge’s Palace.
What is St Mark’s Basilica?
It is Venice’s cathedral, a five-domed church begun in 1063 and traditionally consecrated in 1094.
