Concert With the Poor

coming soon 2026

The Concert

The “Concert with the Poor” was established in 2015 and features the Artistic Direction of the composer and Orchestra Conductor Msgr. Marco Frisina.

The Concert with the Poor is promoted by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome and organized by the Nova Opera ETS Foundation to offer an experience of art and culture to the most disadvantaged people.

This evening, as the melodies touched our hearts, we felt the inestimable value of music: not a luxury for the few, but a divine gift accessible to everyone, rich and poor. Therefore, as I greet each one of you, I feel a special joy in welcoming you, brothers and sisters, for whom we have experienced this concert today: thank you all for your presence!

Pope Leo XIV

Address of the Holy Father

With the poor

Since the first edition, the venue for the concert has been the evocative Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican, which can accommodate around 8,000 people, including more than 3,000 seats reserved for the less fortunate: homeless people, migrants, detainees with special permits, and those living in mental and social distress, they are invited through the Dicastery for the Service of Charity - Office of the Papal Almoner and numerous volunteer organizations that support them daily. They are given the privilege of being the “special guests” of the event.

At the end of the event, a packed dinner and other comfort items are also distributed to the 3,000 special guests.

Encounter and listening to the poor are essential, for they are a treasure for the Church and for humanity. Their viewpoints, though often disregarded, are vital if we are to see the world through God’s eyes. I urge you to give the poor a voice.

Pope Leo XIV

Artists

This major event has featured, from the very beginning, the participation of prestigious names from the international music scene. Over the various editions, renowned conductors such as Daniel Oren and Speranza Scappucci, along with Academy Award-winning composers Ennio Morricone, Nicola Piovani, and Hans Zimmer, have taken the stage, joined by the constant presence of composer and Conductor Monsignor Marco Frisina.

Under their direction, esteemed symphony orchestras and choirs have performed, including the Orchestra and Choir of the Rome Opera House, the Giuseppe Verdi Philharmonic Orchestra of Salerno, the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra, the Italian Cinema Orchestra, the Choir of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia, and the permanent presence of the Diocese of Rome Choir.