In the heart of the festive season, the LAC presents A Christmas Carol, a free concert that revives the tradition of Weihnachtssingen in central Switzerland, where choirs, ensembles and families come together to sing. Four local choirs – Cantemus, S. Bernardo, Tersicore and Lauretano – accompanied by musicians from the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana and young talents, will bring an afternoon of great music and popular carols to life, inviting the audience to participate in a community ritual of sharing and listening.

The concert opens with Richard Wagner's Siegfried Idyll, transcribed by Alfred Pringsheim and recently revisited by Giulio Mercati. Composed as a Christmas gift for his wife Cosima in 1870, it is one of the most touching declarations of love in the history of music, a intimate and affectionate introduction to the Christmas atmosphere. The programme continues with traditional Christmas carols, selected and reworked by Massimo Berzolla: from “God rest you merry, gentlemen” to “Lullay, my liking” by David Willcocks, passing through the rhythmic “Ding Dong Merrily on High” and the sweet melodies of John Rutter with “Nativity Carol” and “Star Carol”. This is followed by the famous Ring Christmas Bells by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovyč, in its energetic original version. The concert concludes with three traditional Italian and European songs: Astro del ciel, Adeste fideles and Tu scendi dalle stelle, inviting the audience to join in the singing.