Preghiere: The Virgin Mary in Opera

A programme of vocal works from the pens of Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, Diacono, and others, that explores the sacred in opera. 

Ever since its inception in the late 16th century, opera exerted enormous influence on music, not least sacred music. The sacred works of the Baroque period all owe a lot to this dramatic genre. By the 19th century opera emerged as the dominant art form, which in turn was influenced by many other elements, including sacred music. Italian opera in particular featured devotional elements in the often complicated plots, giving us some of the most memorable scenes and arias in opera in the process.

Performers:

Mariah Costa, soprano