The National Philharmonic Society recently hosted a concert of works by Rossini, which are rarely heard on the Kyiv stage. This time the celebrated Italian composer, who is known for his operas and many other virtuoso works, was presented to the audience in a somewhat unusual manner. His great spiritual vocal-symphonic work Stabat Mater for soloists, choir, and orchestra has not been performed in Kyiv for eight years.
This musical work reveals another aspect of Rossini’s vast legacy. The huge composition consists of 10 parts: Introduction, Aria, Duet, Aria, Choir and Recitative, Quartet, Quartet, Cavatina, Aria and Choir, Choir and Finale. The concert featured the Symphony Orchestra of the National Radio Company of Ukraine (conducted by Volodymyr Sheiko), the Dumka Choir (artistic director: Yevhen Savchuk); soloists Natalia Nikolayishyn (soprano), Rymma Shapovalova (soprano), Serhiy Pashchuk (tenor), and Bohdan Taras (bass).
Gioacchino Rossini is famous for his more than 30 operas. He had a unique talent and wrote his first opera when he was 14 years old. He wrote his masterpiece, The Barber of Seville, in just 20 days. An excellent singer, Rossini played the harpsichord, viola, violin, cello, and piano. He acquired an excellent command of counterpoint, and his culinary skills were celebrated in numerous historical anecdotes.
Rossini’s many interests were reflected in his brilliant compositions. He was generous with melodies, original, flexible, and versatile vocal parts, and masterful orchestrations, which enriched Rossini’s scores with timbres. His style was sparkling and light, and featured effective dramatic elements. Among the composer’s strong points was the ability to build up plot tension. His works reflected contrasts between humor and overtones of pathos, heroic and contemplative images, happiness and tragedy. The scenic expressiveness and naturalness of his brilliant music were such that the composer never limited his fantasy to any stereotypes, in any genres.
Rossini wrote Stabat Mater in 1842, during the latter half of his life, after a long series of spectacular achievements, failures, and worries about his operas and how they were staged. Stabat Mater Dolorosa is a hymn traditionally performed during the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is based on medieval verse (the opening lines, Stabat Mater dolorosa/ Juxta Crucem lacrimosa, / Dum pendebat Filius, are translated as: “At the cross her station keeping, /Mary stood in sorrow weeping /When her Son was crucified”). The author is unknown. Some scholars believe it was written by a Franciscan monk by the name of Jacopone da Todi, who died exactly 700 years ago.
Even the traditional religious contents could not restrain the flight of the composer’s bold imaginings. In this music one finds all of the composer’s finest techniques. All the features that make Rossini’s music beloved by everyone today are revealed here in their full splendor. Despite the specifics of the original, Rossini fills it with boiling passions and enigmatic forces; the religious theme is ingeniously combined with elements of secular music, betraying the composer’s love of opera. By using various musical techniques — lively arias and refined dance-like sophistication — the composer whimsically alludes to various operatic pieces, “hinting” at an aria of revenge here, a “duet of accord” there.
Concert performances do not deprive this music of its almost theatrical spectacularity. Rossini remains true to himself; his composer’s solutions are invariably witty. These include virtuoso cadenzas that require flawless voice control and clear Mozartean textures, created through Rossini’s inherent mastery, an eloquent and colorfully diversified orchestra enriched with vocal timbres, and sparkling, light scenes alongside the profoundly serious and luxurious finale. That was probably why the packed audience greeted the finale with a standing ovation.
