Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 6 pm
Trinity Church, Lakeville, CT
Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 4 pm
Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA
Carissimi’s Jephte and Missa L’Homme armé
This program features some of the great vocal repertoire before the era of Bach and Vivaldi: works by the 17th century Italian composer Giacomo Carissimi. Carissimi – who continued Claudio Monteverdi’s legacy of dramatic vocal music – tells the story of a human tragedy in one of the first oratorios, “Jephte.” The Israelite general Jephte and his people celebrate a great military victory, and then sink into despair over the loss of Jephte’s beloved daughter. Like in later oratorios – similar to opera – the main characters are sung by soloists: a tenor and a soprano. The narrator role is fulfilled by solos, duets, and ensemble and choral numbers. Among the latter is the famous “Plorate filii Israel” (Weep, Oh ye children of Israel), a lament for six voices by the daughter’s virgin companions, in which they bewail her misfortune. This oratorio leaves nothing to be de- sired, as it presents the full spectrum of emotions: from joy, fear and anger, love and tenderness, triumphal ex- altation, desperation and sadness
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