Passio
Compositions by:
- Alessandro Scarlatti
- Arvo Pärt
- Louis Andriessen
Year : 2022
Concept, direction, and set design by Luigi De Angelis | Dramaturgy by Tobias Kokkelmans | Conductor Andreas Küppers | Video design by Luigi De Angelis | Assistant director for video Andrea Argentieri | Costumes by Chiara Lagani | Countertenor Benno Schachtner | B’Rock Orchestra | B’Rock Choir | Production by Muziektheater Transparant and B’Rock | Commissioned by Klarafestival | Supported by Integra Fragrances and Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government
MUSIC
- L. Andriessen …miserere…
- A. Scarlatti 3 Responsories for Holy Week (Tristis est anima mea, Omnes amici mei, Plange quasi virgo)
- Scarlatti Passio secundum Joannem
- A. Pärt Da pacem Domine
The Passion According to John was one of the first Passion settings written in Italy during the 17th century. Claude Debussy described this work as a “small masterpiece of primitive grace, in which the choral writing has the color of pale gold that so delicately outlines the profile of the Madonnas in the frescoes of the time.” Scarlatti’s Passion inspired the musicians of B’Rock and the artists of Muziektheater Transparant to create a surprising performance in which music and images meet in a ritual of contemporary catharsis.
Scarlatti’s Passion According to John is also accompanied by three choral pieces from the Responsories for Holy Week. An intriguing string quartet by the Dutch composer Louis Andriessen (inspired by the famous Miserere by Gregorio Allegri) and Da pacem Domine by Arvo Pärt complete the musical framework of the Passio, creating a bridge between Scarlatti’s time and the present.
With a video installation that blends a Baroque still life with a contemporary ritual, Italian-Belgian director Luigi De Angelis adds a visual layer to this creation, drawing inspiration from the films of Pasolini. Why is suffering such a prevalent theme in the arts? Are we merely consumers of the pain of others, or is there a place for genuine compassion?