Audiences worldwide are invited to experience the thrill of this completely unique cultural event, free of charge, through a visually stunning concert film, recorded as-live and hosted on YouTube by the Genesis Foundation, The Sixteen, Classic FM, Boosey & Hawkes and Garden Congregation.
Sir James MacMillan’s “glorious oratorio” (The Times), Angels Unawares, will be released worldwide as an official concert film on YouTube on 21 September, the International Day of Peace, following its world premiere in the Sistine Chapel on 22 March 2026.
The first performance of the highly praised work made musical history: never before had organisations from outside the Vatican been invited to give a world concert premiere in this breathtaking setting, against the backdrop of Michelangelo’s frescoes.
This unique concert performed by The Sixteen, Britten Sinfonia, talented soloists and conducted by Harry Christophers has been captured for posterity in an intimate and arresting film that will now be available for audiences around the world to view free of charge. Hosted by the Genesis Foundation, The Sixteen, Classic FM, Boosey & Hawkes and Garden Congregation on YouTube, reaching audiences across the worlds of faith and classical music in a call for peace, hope and unity.
Commissioned by the Genesis Foundation as part of the organisation’s 25th anniversary celebrations, Angels Unawares is a profoundly moving oratorio that explores moments of angelic revelation. Its music sets poetry by the late Robert Willis, former Dean of Canterbury. The libretto, a meditation on hospitality, compassion and human connection, draws on angelic encounters from both the Old and New Testaments. Visionary in scope, Angels Unawares unites powerful words and music to create a compelling contemporary expression of faith, exploring the mystery of the divine breaking into human experience.
Produced by Ad Lib Productions, this special concert film also offers a rare opportunity to experience in high definition the splendour of the Sistine Chapel, whose frescoes depict themes of creation, human frailty and the hope of salvation, offering a further reflection on the themes addressed in the piece, in addition to its uniquely beautiful acoustics.
The message of Angels Unawares resonates deeply with Pope Leo XIV’s recent call for us all to “open ourselves to peace [which] is more than just a goal; it is a presence and a journey.” This makes 21 September, the United Nations International Day of Peace, a particularly fitting date for the streaming premiere of this “substantial and exciting work” (The Observer).
Angels Unawares is the third large-scale concert work to result from Sir James MacMillan’s 20-year relationship with the Genesis Foundation, which has produced eight commissions in total. Earlier this year, as the recipient of The King’s Medal for Music, MacMillan joined a distinguished list of individuals honoured for their outstanding contribution to music. His Catholic faith remains a defining influence on his work and artistic vision.
The premiere of Angels Unawares was conducted by Harry Christophers, founder of the internationally acclaimed choir The Sixteen, joined in the Sistine Chapel by Britten Sinfonia, one of Europe’s leading chamber orchestras, and two soloists: soprano Elizabeth Watts and tenor Matthew McKinney, the latter being a member of The Sixteen’s Young Artists Programme, Genesis Sixteen in 2018-19.