The sorrow of Mary

Maarten Engeltjes and his baroque ensemble PRJCT Amsterdam return to their favourite concert hall with new and exciting projects. In this concert, they demonstrate that the human voice is the most beautiful of all instruments. And all the more so when a penetrating high male voice sings of the sorrow of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. Antonio Vivaldi painted that heart-breaking scene in his soul-stirring composition Stabat Mater, the ultimate test of a countertenor’s mastery.

The extraordinarily beautiful Marian hymn Salve Regina also evokes profound emotions. After Handel, Johann Adolph Hasse was the most famous opera composer of his time. He set the Salve Regina, a plea for protection and support, to music in a magnificent way. Like no other, Engeltjes knows how to create thrilling programmes around iconic baroque music. Previously, he sang a thrilling Handel concerto and Purcell duets together with his teacher, the world-famous countertenor Andreas Scholl, for full halls.

19:00 / Lecture Early Music by Jan Van den Bossche
Music for and about Mary
In the Catholic world, the veneration of Mary led to a very extensive repertoire of pieces dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Magnificat was much loved, but the Stabat Mater in particular gained the status of a genre of its own. The simple and accessible medieval poem about Mary’s grief at her son’s death on the cross very much captured the imagination of the faithful, and inspired countless composers from the 15th to the 21st century to write compelling music. In this lecture, the liturgical music dedicated to Mary is explored in general. Specific light will be shed on the origins and history of the Stabat Mater, using some of the most famous examples from the past centuries.

Programme booklet (Dutch)