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PHILADELPHIA — Over the course of Charlene Angelini’s singing career, she has performed the National Anthem in stadiums and sung for televised Masses. However, nothing comes close to the performance of a lifetime she will give Saturday when she cantors for Pope Francis.

“I was chosen because I’m one of the lead cantors at the Cathedral (Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul),” Angelini explained. “I’ve been the archdiocesan cantor for most of the main events at the cathedral since 2010.”

Being the cantor means Angelini will be on the altar with the pope for both Saturday’s Mass at the cathedral and Sunday’s Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

She only learned what her role would be five weeks ago and has since been involved in a flurry of rehearsals.

“We typically rehearse at the cathedral, except for this upcoming week.” she said. “Because of the size of the choir that’s involved, we’re going to be bouncing back and forth between the Kimmel Center and the Convention Center and then the Cathedral one more time.”

Not rehearsing on the parkway itself until the day of the papal Mass is creating logistical concerns.

“All of the spaces that we are rehearsing in are enclosed but once we get to the parkway we have about a 25-minute sound check to be able to compensate for any sound delay and lack of acoustics,” she said.

Angelini’s location on the altar will be far from the orchestra and conductor.

“The sound issues are probably the scariest part,” she admitted. “I’m going to have earbuds to try to compensate for the delay and to be able to better hear the choir and the orchestra as the sound is coming out live so that I’m not distracted by the sound of my own voice echoing through the monitors down the parkway.”

Fortunately, sound engineers will be on hand to help. According to Angelini, she might be “on a two second delay so engineers can mix the sound so she comes out at the same time as the orchestra” if there’s a lag.

Other logistical issues have Angelini nervous about Sunday.

“Fear of getting where I need to be on time is what is weighing on my mind more than anything else,” she said.

Most performers are gathering at a secure location to go through security and will then take FBI-approved buses to the parkway. For performers living in Philadelphia, though, walking is an option.

“There’s no VIP or staff entrance,” Angelini explained. “We’ll be standing in line with the general public. We have the same tickets that everybody else does. Security will start screening people at 7 a.m. so I might leave my house at 5 a.m.”

Once through security, performers will head to a choir-holding tent, which comes with its own strict rules. “I guess they’re nervous about us taking selfies so we’re not even allowed to have our phones anywhere near the altar or the stage,” she says. “We are not allowed to have anything on the altar other than our binders.”

Angelini anticipates spending most of the day in the choir tent. “They’re going to provide snacks and water for us. We’re not allowed to bring any liquids through checkpoints.”

Despite the hassle of the day, Angelini said this experience is “truly the apex of my career. I’m not scared about singing. I’m worried about timing and [not having] a sightline to the conductor [but] being able to sing for someone that I respect so much brings me great joy. I’ve been cantoring 24 years to get to this point.”

Despite being as close as she will be to Pope Francis, Angelini does not believe she will actually meet him. “It would be absolutely amazing to touch him and speak to him. I only hope that I will meet him but I’m not planning on it. Once he’s on the altar, it might be more stringent.”

In spite of her nerves about Sunday, Angelini is excited. “It’s been fantastic being with so many professionals that were brought together with this group to sing. I feel like we’re really putting out a quality sound and it’s been a pleasure to work with all of the people involved. I think it’s going to be a really beautiful representation of Philadelphia and I’m very lucky and humbled to be a part of it.”

Angelini
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By Dorothy Sasso

For Times Leader

Reach Dorothy Sasso by calling 570-991-6114.