Sorelle San Diego’s Fall Concert Explores the Mythology of the Solar System
From Pluto to the Sun, Repertoire Follows a Journey from Darkness to Light
DATE: Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
VENUE: San Dieguito United Methodist Church, 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas 92024
TICKETS: Suggested donation $20 adults / $10 students
INFORMATION: www.SorelleSanDiego.com
Encinitas, Calif. (September 14, 2026)—Women’s chamber chorus, Sorelle San Diego, will present Universalis, a fall concert on Sunday, October 18 at 3:00 p.m. in Encinitas. Directed by Michelle Risling and accompanied by Anna Juliar, Sorelle will perform compelling choral works inspired by the mythological figures that lend their names to the planets of our solar system. The program, starting with Pluto and ending with the life-giving Sun, contributes to the narrative arc of darkness to light.
Universalis opens with the formidable Dies Irae from Mozart’s Requiem, whose piercing outbursts and ominous rhythms conjure a world of dread. The music introduces Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld, and sets the concert’s journey in motion. The narrative continues with “Neptune, the Mystic” from Gustav Holst’s The Planets, a mysterious and wordless suite that evokes the vastness of space. Midway through the concert, North Coast Singers’ Capella high school ensemble will join Sorelle for several of their own works, as well as a combined performance of Ryan Main’s Inveniam Viam, a driving setting that mirrors the fierce determination often associated with Mars, the Roman god of war. Later in the program, Anders Edenroth’s Words explores the power and nature of language, connecting the piece to Mercury, the swift Roman messenger god. The concert concludes with Dan Forrest’s The Sun Never Says, a reflection on unconditional love that “lights the whole sky,” based on a Hafiz-inspired poem by Daniel Ladinsky.
“Universalis begins a season-long exploration of wonder, taking us outward into the mysteries of our solar system and tracing a path from the unknown toward illumination. Our spring concert will build on the concept of light, turning our attention to the natural wonders of Earth. Through these two programs, we hope to inspire a sense of awe at the extraordinary beauty and interconnectedness of our universe, from the planets above us to the living world beneath our feet,” said Michelle Risling, Sorelle conductor.