« Cleanup time | Main | Excitement »
January 05, 2007
Divine Comedy: The Opera
A Rome monsignor has composed an extravagant musical version of "The Divine Comedy," featuring symphonic music in heaven, Gregorian chant in purgatory and hard rock in hell.
That's not a value judgment on rock music -- it just seemed to fit the spirit of rebellion in Dante's description of the inferno, Msgr. Marco Frisina told Vatican Radio Jan. 4.
Msgr. Frisina, a liturgy official for the Diocese of Rome and a well-known composer of religious music, said the new work, "The Divine Comedy: The Opera," will use a 100-piece orchestra, 50 dancers and singers, and more than 250 costumes.
According to the opera's production company, Nova Ars, the set will be one of the biggest ever used for an operatic work and will be designed to allow audience interaction in some of the scenes.
The priest has dedicated the opera's musical score to Pope Benedict XVI and said he hopes the pontiff will attend the premiere in Rome next fall. The production is expected to tour Europe.
Msgr. Frisina already has stirred up controversy by saying he will put rock, punk and heavy metal music in hell.
"I'm simply using the music and sounds of rock to communicate that sense of laceration, drama and deep rebellion that rock music can express so well," he said.
"I needed rock music for the sounds in the city of Dis (the lowest part of hell), for the most violent part of Dante's inferno. But this is not a judgment about rock," he said.
The second half of the opera portrays the pilgrim's path through purgatory to paradise, and the music no longer expresses passion or desperation, but a "desire of the absolute," Msgr. Frisina said. Gregorian chant and symphonic harmony were the appropriate musical choices, he said.
Here's the Vatican Radio report. About 3 minutes. It's well worth listening to, in addition to the article. He indicates that he was inspired by Deus Caritas Est.
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
Comments
...100-piece orchestra, 50 dancers and singers and more than 250 costumes...
I think they forgot to mention 1 electric guitar with 2 chords.
Posted by: Matt at Jan 5, 2007 3:10:10 PM
Given what B-16 thinks about rock music, it is fitting that it accompanies Dis.
Posted by: dad29 at Jan 5, 2007 3:25:25 PM
Msgr. Frisina has a very nice website in Italian and English.
Posted by: Old Zhou at Jan 5, 2007 3:36:16 PM
Well, we all have our choices, but I would put gregorian chant in heaven, rock music in purgatory and country music in hell!!
Posted by: Morning's Minion at Jan 5, 2007 3:38:44 PM
Despite his protests, it is a judgment on rock music and an apt one.
Posted by: cricket at Jan 5, 2007 3:44:27 PM
The Barney theme song belongs in there somewhere - at least Purgatory. Hell I would leave for annoying advertising jingles that drive you mad.
As for the Msgr., more than a few hard rock / punk composers would take his placement of their style of music as a compliment.
Posted by: c matt at Jan 5, 2007 3:45:30 PM
As for Heaven, I'd substite polyphony for symphonic music. Some Josquin de Prez.
And as for country music, there's nothing diabolical about it. Love it or hate it, it's nothing if not earthy, earth music.
Posted by: cricket at Jan 5, 2007 3:47:46 PM
btw, If you think "Dis" is bad, you don't wanna see "Dat"!
Posted by: cricket at Jan 5, 2007 3:50:27 PM
For a rapid journey through the Inferno, the Gustave Dore illustrations are suitably ominous. This youtube video is also accompanied, if I'm not mistaken, by Carl Orff's music (Carmina Burana?).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyH4EesD5V0
And, for contrast, here's a recent New Yorker mock heroic parody of the journey (with Dantesque touches):
http://www.newyorker.com/shouts/content/articles/061030sh_shouts
Posted by: Patrick Molloy at Jan 5, 2007 4:07:14 PM
"Despite his protests, it is a judgment on rock music and an apt one."
I listen to heavy metal but before I buy an album I find the lyrics on the net and make sure there is nothing contrary to faith or morals in them. Don't condemn all rock to the seventh circle! Rock on.
Posted by: Brad C at Jan 5, 2007 5:13:10 PM
Msgr. Frisina is composer of song "Jesus Christ, you are my life" from WYD 2000 in Rome.
Posted by: Marketa at Jan 5, 2007 5:14:57 PM
Where does the music from 'Jesus Christ Superstar' fit in? From 'Sesame Street'? Of Wagner? And finally, what of Fleetwood Mac and their associations with the liberal Clinton administration? - PH
Posted by: Philip Howard at Jan 5, 2007 5:24:36 PM
Earlier accounts of this placed Gregorian Chant in Purgatory and "modern and symphonic" music or some such wording in Paradise. This made me think that Gregorian Chant was being demoted to the netherworld and made me wonder which "modern" music would appear in Paradise. Gee, there's some confusing pre-opening buzz about this, isn't there?
Posted by: Little Gidding at Jan 5, 2007 6:20:51 PM
Philip Howard, good call! I think "Don't Stop" (Thinking about Tomorrow) would be suitably ironic for the lowest circle of Dante's Inferno! :)
Posted by: eCurious at Jan 5, 2007 6:22:52 PM
From a Washington Post article mentioned in Dawn Eden's blog, Judee Sill wrote a baroque-pop ode to "Deus Caritas Est" 33 years before the encyclical was published!
"Love rising from the mists,
Promise me this and only this,
Holy breath touching me, like a wind song
Sweet communion of a kiss
Sun sifting through the grey
Enter in, reach me with a ray
Silently swooping down, just to show me
How to give my heart away..."
Posted by: sempervirens at Jan 5, 2007 6:23:18 PM
Not to start up that 70s thread again from about 18 months ago, but, really, what would Hell be without the BeeGees and Abba?
Posted by: bruce cole at Jan 5, 2007 6:26:55 PM
I always tell my wife that, if I die before her, Masses must be offered for my soul as frequently as possible, on account of the near certainty that purgatory will be little more than videos of Rod Stewart crooning and dancing around in spandex.
Posted by: John Henry at Jan 5, 2007 8:12:34 PM
I love rock, punk, and metal. I also TOTALLY agree that they are the music of hell; that chant would be the stripping down and purifying of purgatory, and I suppose that leaves symphony for heaven...although when I hear symphonies I always think, "And this pales in comparison to the singing of the angels and saints..."
Posted by: nab at Jan 5, 2007 9:19:06 PM
No one mentioned Whitney Houston singing "I-I-I-I-I-I Will Always Love You-u-u-u."
Posted by: Ellyn at Jan 5, 2007 9:26:05 PM
I have become fascinated with Dante's "Divine Comedy" over the years, and keep returning to it again and again. I spent a whole summer in "Inferno"-yes it was a hot summer lol.
I find the blog above concerning this opera a wonderful piece of news. I figured after the success of Tolkien's trilogy, Lord of the Rings, someone one try the Divine Comedy-and here it is...
I am not an old geezer lol I grew up in the later 60's :) so am not at least totally opposed to all Rock---except of course in the Liturgy! BUT BUT this Monsignor is on to something here! Even back as a youth, certain rock bands with all their strident and carcophanous chords-would send me over the edge lol. If you think about it---that IS hell-a state of existence in which there is ETERNAL conflict and carcophany! Not all Rock fits this and some so called symphonies have strident chords etc-typically human right lol?
I love some the creative responses to this article! Since we are offering suggestions for the three levels of the Comedy-let me put forward a few:)
Each movement of Dante and Virgil spiraling down from level to level in the Inferno-Hell should have some of those acid rock strident guitar chords-getting louder and louder as he passes through DIS. As they pass through the Gates that are marked "Give Up Hope all who pass through here" I definitely would love to hear John Lennon's "Imagine" sung and played
"Imagine there is no heaven, no religion too..." Each one of the levels marking the seven capital sins could be expressive of that particular sin. Wagner's "Flight of the Valkeries", more known by most in that helicopter attack scene in Apocalypse Now with "I just love the smell of napalm" thrown in for good measure-hmmm that might be a nice touch at the Wrathful level. When they finally arrive at Satan-on-ice a nice touch would be that music used from "the Exorcist"-appropriate for the scene. Perhaps a finale to the scene could be the Dies Irae from Mozart's Requiem-which I love by the way-but I think is very appropriate
Now for Purgatorio---I think the music has already been selected. Think back to the movie "Ordinary People"- Pacobel's Canon is used throughout very effectively-at each moment grace is offered-an opportunity for change, growth and or love the chords become clearer-perfect:)
In Paradiso---ahhhhhh Definitely, Gregorian Chants, polyphony-Gabrielli definitely, grand symphonic numbers such as Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", a women's chorale singing Salve Regina Ave Regina Caelorum and Regina Caeli as Dante and Beatrice see the Virgin Mary. Then toward the end as he is swept up into the Beatific Vision-Jesu Joy of Man's Desire and concluding with a mammoth choir and symphony orchestra doing "the Hallelujiah Chorus"!
Posted by: Father Elijah at Jan 5, 2007 9:38:04 PM
