Chorale Will Set Tone For Lent With A Musical Drama This Weekend

The Connecticut Master Chorale, under the direction of Tina Johns Heidrich, will present the choral masterpiece Stabat Mater by Antonin Dvorak on Sunday, March 11, at 3 pm, at St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown.

The powerfully dramatic work packed with beauty, passion and emotion is based on a 13th Century poem and centuries of art and sculpture depicting the Virgin Mary keeping vigil and grieving at the foot of Christ’s cross. It expresses her anguish and suffering but leads ultimately to the joyful hope of glory in paradise with a thrilling and climactic ending.

Stabat Mater will be performed with professional soloists Michelle Abraham, Valeria Girardi, Andrew Childs and David Shapero. Accompaniment will be by Joseph Jacovino on organ and the Connecticut Master Chorale Orchestra.

Dvorak’s first important sacred work was created in the shadow of death. During the period in which he composed Stabat Mater (1876 and 1877), Dvorak lost his first three children through illness or accidents in a span of two years. He channeled his grief into music, creating this passionate work that expresses anguish and suffering, but leads ultimately to the joyful hope of glory in paradise with a thrilling and climactic ending.

The work had its premiere in 1880 at the Czech Provisional Theater. Following its Prague premiere, Stabat Mater was performed in Brno, Budapest and London. These in turn led to performances in Germany, Austria and the United States, giving Dvorak almost immediate worldwide fame.

Tickets for the performance are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Call 743-0473 or stop by Mikee’s Place (formerly Jersey Mike’s) at 220 Main Street South in Southbury for advance ticket information or purchases.

St Rose is at 46 Church Hill Road in Newtown.