THE CREATION 

Haydn Reimagined in the Light of the Incarnation

Joseph Haydn’s The Creation (Die Schöpfung), composed between 1796 and 1798, stands among the great monuments of Western sacred music. Drawing on the Book of Genesis and Milton’s Paradise Lost, the oratorio celebrates the emergence of the cosmos from chaos, and the birth of light, life, and order through divine word.

For this Christmas program, the Philokalia Choir offers a renewed reading of Haydn’s work through the mystery of the Incarnation. The concert traces a spiritual journey—from the first act of creation to its fulfillment in Christ, the Light who entered the world.

This reinterpretation unfolds as a dialogue between Haydn’s score and newly commissioned works by Lebanese composer Iyad Kanaan, set to Arabic texts by Sister Marana Saad. These interludes, drawn from the language of the Gospel, serve as meditations on how the mystery of creation finds completion in the Word made flesh.

The encounter between Haydn’s classical oratorio and contemporary Middle Eastern expression opens a space for reflection—between Genesis and the Gospel, between East and West, between the beginning and the fullness of time.

Iyad Kanaan

Lebanese composer, Artistic Director and Composer in Residence at the Philokalia Choir, and professor of composition at the Philokalia Institute.

A graduate of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Guy Habib and Joseph Fakhry, he has collaborated with the Notre Dame University Choir since 2000.

His catalogue includes over forty works encompassing instrumental and symphonic pieces, oratorios, motets, and art songs on Arabic poetry. He has set texts by Lebanese poets such as Said Akl, Elias Abou Chabke, and Antoine Raad. His output also includes an opera in Arabic, Qadmūs. His motets are widely regarded as among the finest expressions of his musical language, marked by lyricism, depth, and spiritual resonance.

Nadine Nassar, soprano

Lebanese soprano Nadine Nassar has built a distinguished international career marked by artistry, versatility, and cultural dialogue. After moving to Warsaw to study privately with renowned opera masters and at the Chopin University, she emerged as a musical bridge between Lebanon and Poland, performing in landmark events such as the Bicentenary of Chopin’s Birth and the Polish Centenary Festivities, for which she was awarded the Polish Medal of Culture.

Her performances have graced some of the world’s most esteemed venues, including Vienna’s Hofburg Chapel, Krakow’s St. Mary’s Basilica, Prague’s Týn Cathedral, Beirut’s Grand Serail, the Royal Academy of Music in London, Quimper’s Cathedral, Ouessant’s Island, Paris, Moscow, and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

With a repertoire spanning opera, lieder, sacred music, and Arabic interpretations of Mozart’s masterpieces, Nassar has brought to life celebrated roles in Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. Her collaborations with leading orchestras, conductors, and musicians across Europe and the Middle East continue to affirm her as one of Lebanon’s most luminous classical voices.

Bechara Moufarrej, tenor

Lebanese tenor Bechara Moufarrej is among the few Lebanese singers to have pursued an international operatic career. After graduating in Lebanon in 2009, he continued his studies in Italy and went on to perform major roles such as Don José (Carmen), Rodolfo (La Bohème), Alfredo (La Traviata), Il Duca (Rigoletto), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Conte d’Almaviva (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Don Basilio (Le Nozze di Figaro), and Jago (Otello by Rossini). His concert repertoire includes Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Petite Messe Solennelle, Mozart’s Requiem and Masses, Verdi’s Requiem, and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria.

He has performed with the Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra de Paris, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Clonter Opera, and with the Lebanese and Qatar Philharmonic Orchestras, appearing at major festivals including Al Bustan, Abu Dhabi, Suoni Dal Golfo, and Beirut Chants. He has worked with Deborah Voigt, James Morgan, Toufic Maatouk, and Gianluca Marcianò, and has given masterclasses in China, Serbia, Lebanon, France, and Romania.

After the Beirut Port explosion, he collaborated with the Bayerische Staatsoper to produce Salāmī Li Bayrūt, a tribute to Beirut whose proceeds supported rebuilding efforts and families affected by the tragedy.

A member of the Peace and Prosperity Trust in London, he currently divides his time between London and Serbia.

Philokalia Choir
A Voice for Beauty, Faith, and Culture

Recognized today as one of Lebanon’s foremost choirs, Philokalia Choir stands at the crossroads of Eastern and Western musical traditions, offering performances that combine artistic excellence with spiritual depth. Its repertoire embraces Classical, Arabic, and Syro-Maronite music, reflecting a vision that unites beauty, faith, and cultural dialogue.

Founded in 2010 under the leadership of Sr. Marana Saad, the choir has taken part in major national and international festivals, including the Baalbeck International Festival, Beirut Chants, Byblos International Festival, Crossroad Festival (Cyprus), Lebanese International Choir Festival, Les Musicales du Liban à Paris, Sacrée Musique (France), and Zouk Mikael International Festival.

Its activities have extended beyond Lebanon, with concerts in Virginia and Washington, Frankfurt, Rome, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Limassol, and Krakow.

Throughout its artistic journey, Philokalia Choir has collaborated with many distinguished figures, including Carla Ramia, Charbel Rouhana, George Khabbaz, Gilbert Rahbani, Hiba Tawaji, Iyad Kanaan, Lena Farah, Lubnan Baalbaki, Lucas Sakr, Khaled Mouzannar, Majida El Roumi, Marcel Khalife, Oussama Rahbani, Rafca Fares, among others.

Deeply committed to the creation of new works, Philokalia Choir has embarked on a long-term collaboration with Lebanese composer Iyad Kanaan, resulting in the commissioning and performance of several original compositions. Together, they have released fifteen pieces to date, marking an important contribution to the development of Lebanese sacred repertoire.

To date, the choir has released twelve albums, continuing its mission to preserve and promote Lebanese sacred and secular music.

1. Marana Saad

“Music is prayer, art is a path to God, and beauty is a reflection of truth.”

Founder and President of Philokalia, S. Marana Saad has dedicated her life to revealing the spiritual dimension of art and the transforming power of beauty. Through her work, she has made music a space of encounter between faith, culture, and human creativity.

In 2010, she founded the Philokalia Choir, and later established three vocal ensembles: Hymnos, dedicated to Western polyphony; Ashtar, focused on Arabic sacred and traditional music; and Bēt-Gazō, performing Syro-Maronite traditional repertoire. With these ensembles, she has led performances and cultural exchanges in France, Cyprus, Italy, Poland, Germany, and the United States.

She holds two doctorates—one in Theology from Saint Anselm’s University in Rome and another in Musicology from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik. Her musical journey in choral conducting was shaped under the guidance of Maestro Walter Marzilli at the Pontificio Istituto di Musica Sacra in Rome. She also pursued further studies in Strategic Management and Leadership at George Washington University (USA) and in music therapy at the Nantes Music Therapy Institute in France.

Sr. Marana teaches theology and music at several universities and institutes in Lebanon and abroad.

She has been invited to speak and lead workshops at international conferences in Rome, Stockholm, Zagreb, Tallinn, Richmond, Limassol, and Paris, and is the author of several publications exploring spirituality, sacred music, and the art of choral leadership.