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In celebration of our centennial year, St.
George’s St. Cecelia Choir and friends, under the direction of Dr. Jane
Tavernier, will present two evenings of sacred opera. Two one-act works will
be performed together, on May 30 and June 1.
Suor Angelica, by Giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924) was first performed in 1918 by the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
It was one part of his Il Trittico, three short operas that are still
performed throughout the world, sometimes as a group and often as independent
works programmed with other short pieces.
The opera is set in a convent at the end
of the 17th century. Sister Angelica is a noblewoman who is
cloistered there, having been compelled to leave her family after an illicit
love affair and the birth of a son. One day, in the midst of a typical day in
the lives of the nuns, Angelica is visited by her aunt who tells her, without
compassion, that the little boy has died. Angelica, consumed with despair,
commits suicide by poisoning herself, a mortal sin. The music soars as she
realizes what she has done and begs the Virgin Mary to intercede for her so that
she will not be condemned to hell. The opera closes with Angelica, forgiven,
reunited in death with her young son, brought to her by the Blessed Mother,
herself.
The role of Angelica will be sung
by Jane Tavernier; La Principessa will be sung by Jesse Baden;
the nuns of the community will be sung by the women of the St. George’s St.
Cecelia Choir and friends.
Claude Debussy’s (1892-1918) L’Enfant
Prodigue is designated a scène lyrique by the composer. He wrote it at the
age of 21 as a submission for the 1884 Prix de Paris. It won him the prize.
This work tells the story of the return of
the Prodigal Son in a series of arias and ensembles. Three solo voices take the
roles of Azaël, the Prodigal Son (a tenor sung by Joe Farrell/Alan
Chan) his mother, Lia (a soprano sung by Karen Vaughn/Ellyn
Lomack Crawford), and father, Siméon, (a baritone sung by Adrian
Cook/Rob Ritter).
These two operas describe how the power of
faith in God sustains us, even throughout the consequences of foolish choices.
For ultimately, if we persevere in our faith and accept God’s love and grace, we
are redeemed and comforted, even, as Angelica shows us, at the last.
The operas will be offered in the church
on Friday, May 30, at 7:30 PM, and on Sunday,
June 1, at 6:00 PM. Admission is
free. An offering will be taken.
-- Lyn Crawford
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