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Both the conductor, Mark Opstad and the organist Nicholas O’Neill are former Oxford organ scholars. Mark is becoming one of the leading choir directors in the South of France, conducting the Toulouse choir Musica Nova, as well as regularly taking part in the Toulouse Organ Festival. Nicholas, who is flying over especially for the event, is currently Organist to St George’s Cathedral, Southwark as well as conductor of the House of Commons Choir.
Soloists are members of the Toulouse Opera and Marc Pontus, one of France’s leading Counter tenors who singes regularly with William Christie’s ‘Les Arts Florissants’.
The proceeds of the first Messiah resulted in an architect’s report being commissioned detailing the restoration needed to the church interior, and has made proposals for the order of work to be undertaken. Since the first Messiah in 2006, the church’s windows have been restored and consequently the building is now weather proof. Water damage, initially from the roof and subsequently from the holes in the windows, has perished much of the plaster and damaged the wall decorations:  the repair of which will be a major part of the restoration work.
Thanks to the generous sponsorship from Siddalls, all the proceeds from the performance will go to the restoration of this gem of a building that reflects the heritage of the Puycelsi, from the late tenth century until today.
The Association Restauration St Corneille (ARC) n° W811000268 was founded in 2006 to promote the restoration of the church by both raising funds and acting as a local pressure group. Its President is Ross Jenkins, a Scot who previously lived in London.
Puycelsi is a tiny commune of 450 inhabitants of whom less than 100 live permanently in the  village The word Puycelsi may come from the latin Podium Celsum

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