Osvaldo Golijov's La Pasión según San Marcos
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Golijov's ''St. Mark Passion' at Carnegie Hall
(Melanie Burford for NPR Music)
On Sunday, March 10 at 3 pm, WQXR presented a live broadcast of Osvaldo Golijov's La Pasión según San Marcos (Passion According to St. Mark), a work that draws on Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music in its re-telling of the passion story. Listen to the archived broadcast above.
Robert Spano conducts Schola Cantorum de Venezuela, Orquesta La Pasión and 120 New York City High School Students. Soloists include soprano Jessica Rivera, vocalist Luciana Souza, Afro-Cuban singer and dancer Reynaldo González-Fernández, and Deraldo Ferreira, a berimbau player and capoeirista (a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance and music).
In 2000, Schola Cantorum de Venezuela premiered this work, which was one of four new Passion settings commissioned to celebrate the 250th birthday of J.S. Bach. With texts sung in Spanish, Latin and Aramaic, the piece aims to tell the Passion story through the cultural and musical history of the Latin American people.
AUDIO: Robert Spano tells Jeff Spurgeon why the Pasion "is a fast train that doesn't stop" and why he was "totally intimidated" by the work at first.
Below is the archive of our live chat and Twitter conversation (hashtag #CHLive).
Performers:
Robert Spano, Conductor
Orquesta La Pasión
Mikael Ringquist, Leader
Gonzalo Grau, Leader
Jessica Rivera, Soprano
Luciana Souza, Vocalist
Reynaldo González-Fernández, Afro-Cuban Singer and Dancer
Deraldo Ferreira, Capoeirista and Berimbau
Members of Schola Cantorum de Venezuela
Maria Guinand, Chorus Director
David Rosenmeyer, Music Supervisor
Forest Hills High School
Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
Songs of Solomon
Follow WQXR
About Carnegie Hall Live
WQXR and Carnegie Hall in collaboration with American Public Media (APM) present a series of twelve national broadcasts live from Carnegie Hall. The 2012-13 season featured a range of orchestras, small ensembles and soloists including the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel; the pairing of American opera greats Renée Fleming and Susan Graham; and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, led by Daniel Barenboim.
Comments [13]
Jeff Spurgeon - I was remiss last night to not have stated how much I enjoyed your WQXR interview with Maestro Spano. Most enjoyable and informative.
PS: It was my pleasure to have met you Jeff backstage while waiting for Eric backstage at the MET (Don Carlo). Best wishes, Barb
Two days before the concert, I told myself to purchase the ticket and take my Wife; but I am working on an 80"x77" canvas, doing the "Sandy Hook Tragedy", The Children, that I forgot to get it done. When I tuned in to WQXR on Sunday, I felt like crying... It is a wonderful achievement in the arts; just hoping they have a DVD for sale so we can enjoy it at home instead.
Ignacio Molina.
Bronx, NY.
I am OFF to buy the DVD. I hope Carnegie Hall will SELL all of this Conductor's orchestral DVDS an CDs in the Lobby prior to and after each of his performances and to do a CD signing if this SUPER Conductor wishes to. I love every single performance of Robert Spano and I am so glad he and Osvaldo Golijov teamed up yesterday. I saw the WQXR recording team as I entered the ISA and was so pleased to see them. Wonderful that you had this recorded. An amazing and unforgettably glorious musical experience.
Espectacular creatividad!!!!!
I saw this a couple of seasons ago in LA with the full Scola Cantorum, and was glad to be at Carnegie for Sunday's presentation. Our local choruses did a fabulous job, kudos to their choral directors and all who were involved in preparing this incredibly difficult and beautiful piece! I don't think I've ever before heard an audience in Carnegie Hall roar like they did at the conclusion of the program. I only wish we could have more performances, I could do that again and again.
Always enjoy hearing Carnegie Hall live and also enjoy experiencing music I have not heard before. Unfortunately, in this case, I would probably not want to hear this again.
I loved the piece today. It was very life affirming with all of its inspiration. I was disappointed that the hosts of the program (Jeff & Fred) failed to mention the deep and thorough African influence in all the the sounds - particularly those of Latin origin. There is too often an overlooking of the influence of African music on classical music. In this piece African origins were very audible. That is why I was surprised at the lack of acknowledgement.
Thank you for the experience.
Fabulous. So glad WQXR played this.
Excellent musical work! Elevated to the highest Classical Latin ethnic level.
Congratulations to all the musicians and technicians who participate. Special congratulations to the creative; concept mind who put it all together musically…a tremendous work!!!!
Blessings to all!!!!
This is WONDERFUL. NO further comment, BUT will listen to this AGAIN
Bravo Schola and NY Choruses, Luciana, Jessica and all... I am so nostalgic about my time singing La Pasion! Listening from Madrid, Spain!!
Have seen La Pasion several times. The youthful choir is so different. Terrific.
Fantastic miking!
Remeber when i ws part of every presenttion! Miss you guys!
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