NEW ORLEANS (March 24, 2011) – French Quarter Festivals, Inc. announces that the Classical Music Stage at the 2011 French Quarter Festival will move to historic St. Mary’s Church at the Old Ursuline Convent. Hotel Monteleone is the sponsor of the Classical Music Stage and the ‘Official Hotel of French Quarter Festival’.

2011 French Quarter Festival Classical Music Stage St. Mary’s at the Ursuline Convent – 1116 Chartes Street

Saturday, April 9
11 am  Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra
12:30 pm  Opera on Tap
2:00 pm  Lyric String Quartet
3:30 pm  Harpist Rachel Van Voorhees

Sunday, April 10
11:00-12:15   Crescent City Winds
12:30-1:45  David Rebeck & Caroline Hixson Duo
2:00-3:15  Pianist Adam Mayon
3:30-4:45  Guitarist John Rankin

History of St. Mary’s Church, 1100 Charters Street, New Orleans, LA
Saint Mary’s Catholic Church (named by Archbishop Shulte in March of 1994) was built in 1845 as the Chapel of the Archbishops during the administration of Bishop Antoine Blanc. The ground on which the chapel was constructed originally was the site of the Ursuline Convent and chapel dating to the arrival of the Ursulines in New Orleans. After the Ursulines moved down river in 1824, the site became the residence of the Archbishop of New Orleans. The church has born several names through its existence. It was originally called Sainte Marie de l’Archeveche and later Holy Trinity. Later, it became St. Mary’s Italian Church, the official Italian parish of the Archdiocese, with services in the Italian language for the many Sicilian and Italian immigrants who settled in the lower French Quarter. In 1976, the name was changed to Our Lady of Victory to commemorate the Ursulines and their role in the winning of the Battle of New Orleans. Overall, the church has served the French, Spanish, Creole, Irish, German, Slavonian and Italian people as well as native Indians and the Sisters of the Holy Family who are predominantly an African-American order. The original Pilcher organ, built in 1890 for the Ursulines by the Pilcher Bros. of New Orleans, now stands restored and functional in the church choir loft.

WWNO 89.9 FM
WWNO 89.9 FM will be broadcasting with live remote from the Classical Music Stage, hosted by station personalities. WWNO serves the community by broadcasting NPR news, information, classical music, jazz, variety programs, and unique local content. WWNO is a non-profit public radio station owned and operated by the University of New Orleans. WWNO 89.9FM began transmitting in 1972, and in 1995 KTLN 90.5FM was added to cover Thibodaux/Houma listening area.