Poised to em­bark on A Mag­ic Christ­mas Voy­age, singing in eight lan­guages a se­lec­tion of songs from lands around the world where Christ­mas is cel­e­brat­ed, the Ly­di­ans re­ceived an un­ex­pect­ed gift from one of those lands.

While learn­ing the Kyrie, Glo­ria, Ag­nus Dei, and Sanc­tus of the fast-paced Mis­sa Salsera, news came from Ly­di­an Michael Zephyrine that Fr An­tho­ny Rosa­do, the New York-based com­pos­er of the work, was keen to per­form the mass on stage with the choir.

Fr Rosa­do will sing and play the pi­ano to ac­com­pa­ny the Ly­di­ans. He will be joined by vir­tu­oso pan­man Len "Boogsie" Sharpe. Ex­pect scin­til­lat­ing sal­sa, cha cha, and oth­er Latin rhythms with a touch of ca­lyp­so and jazz.

The pro­gramme al­so in­cludes an Ara­bic chant, a Yoru­ba car­ol, a First Na­tions car­ol and a Chi­nese one, and Christ­mas songs in Span­ish, Por­tuguese, French, Hait­ian cre­ole, Ger­man, Eng­lish, and Tri­ni-flavoured parang Span­ish.

A Mag­ic Christ­mas Voy­age runs from De­cem­ber 11-14 at Queen's Hall, St Ann's.Show­times are Thurs­day and Fri­day 7.30 pm and Sat­ur­day and Sun­day 6 pm.

Tick­ets are avail­able from Sig­na­ture 2000, the Nor­mandie, St Ann's; La Trop­i­cale Flower Shop, Pat­na Street, St James; Queen's Hall Box Of­fice; and mem­bers of the Ly­di­ans.