Don’t miss this Pittsburgh premiere of Le Miroir de Jesus, a beautiful and historical piece of music composed in 1923 by Andre Caplet, a contemporary of Debussy.
The concert is Saturday, April 13, 7:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church, 320 Sixth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
Caplet was an established composer in his own right, and also a deeply religious Catholic. The 55-minute chamber oratorio is a re-telling of the life of Jesus, through scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. Arranged like the Rosary, the piece is divided into three sections: the birth of Jesus, his Passion and crucifixion, and the Resurrection.
The chorus announces each section, followed by an instrumental prelude, after which the soloists sings texts written by French poet Henri Ghéon. The texts are taken from 15 poems by Ghéon dedicated to the mysteries of the Rosary, each a scene from the life of the Virgin Mary. Caplet composed the piece for one principal woman’s voice accompanied either by a trio, a boys’ choir or a small female choir, with string quartet and harp.
The program features Laura Very, soprano, the Oakland Girls Chamber Choir, Chamber Light Players (Symbiotic Collusion, LLC), Andrew Kohn (string bass), & Lucy Scandrett (harp).
The concert, presented by PSCA, will also feature Frank La Rocca’s Magnificat, presented by the Chamber Choir and choreographed and performed by dancer Hannah Barnard.
During the presentation of “Le Miroir,” images will be projected to enhance the aesthetic experience. An English translation (the first known) by University of Pittsburgh Professor Emeritus Barbara Sargent-Baur will be provided. Following the performances, audiences will be able to mingle with the performers at a brief reception.
Tickets are $25 general admission and $10 for students. $10 tickets are available for groups of 10 or more.
The Pittsburgh School for the Choral Arts was founded as the Oakland Girls Choir (named after the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh) in 2005 to educate others in choral skills and to make the choral arts financially and geographically accessible to all in Pittsburgh. PSCA currently offers three programs: the Oakland Girls Choirs, Music Education Outreach, and Early Childhood Music Education (Musikgarten). More details at oaklandgirlschoir.org.
The Oakland Girls Choir is an uncompetitive yet artistically excellent choral program where girls learn to use music as a positive emotional outlet and work together in a spirit of mutual respect and encouragement. A growing number of choristers are from underserved and distressed Allegheny County neighborhoods, and financial aid is available to all qualifying families.