VIVALDI/PÄRT
Sunday, November 11, 2018 3pm • Sanders Theatre
ANTONIO VIVALDI, Magnificat (RV 610)
ARVO PÄRT, Adam’s Lament*
PÄRT, Magnificat
VIVALDI, Gloria (RV 589)
Dana Varga, soprano
Margaret Lias, mezzo-soprano
*Dedicated to the memory of Matthew Shepard
Join us for a glorious adventure of musical contrasts and intersections – Baroque/Contemporary, virtuosic/minimalist, exuberant/profound. Experience consonance, dissonance and tintinnabulation, as two extraordinary composers explore heavenly exaltation and our common humanity on the centennial of the Armistice of 1918.
Adam’s Lament, an extraordinary late work by the visionary Estonian, offers a deeply humane portrait of Adam, mourning the loss of Eden, the murder of Abel by Cain, and generations of division and strife to follow. Coro’s performance is dedicated to Matthew Shepard, on the 20th anniversary of his death.
Pairing it with the Vivaldi Gloria frames that beloved masterwork in a fresh way, as a call for peace after division – whose contrasts of leaping octaves, intimate stepwise gestures, choral affirmations, and contrapuntal splendors invoke a yearned for unity.
Magnificats by both composers show how differently composers can spin music to express awe. Antonio Vivaldi brings out the oppositions the Magnificat text over turns – Lord and handmaiden, mighty and humble, rich and poor – with rich harmonic shifts and expressive detail. Arvo Pärt's spare, ascetic lines and ringing tintinnabulation evokes the ethereal and human planes. Prepare to be transported!
Coro Allegro’s previous performances of Pärt have been praised as “deeply moving,” holding “the audience rapt for many long seconds before anyone dared to break the silence with applause” (Boston Musical Intelligencer).
The concert will feature the “stunning voice” of soprano Dana Varga and the “warm” “arresting” and “rich-toned” singing of mezzo soprano Margaret Lias.
Our Community Partner:
The Matthew Shepard Foundation
The Matthew Shepard Foundation has been working diligently for two decades to honor the memory of Matt Shepard by sharing his story. They work with marginalized communities, law enforcement, LGBTQ+ youth, and coalition partners to help spread their mission of erasing hate and replacing it with understanding, compassion, and acceptance. For more information about the Matthew Shepard Foundation, check out their website: matthewshepard.org