A staged performance of three 18th century pieces (or excerpts) on the theme of the passion of Christ: Salve Regina (Handel); excerpts from Handel's Messiah; and then Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's Stabat mater - Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
The focus was on the music, which was moving and stirring in places (all three works), but the way it was rendered generally added to it - not least the cathedral setting - whether it was the spotlit soprano in black alone, the members of the chorus rising unexpectedly from their seats in pews amongst the audience for the excerpts from Messiah as three performers moved down the central aisle, two bearing whips and one a heavy wooden beam (to then 'crucify' the Jesus figure from a large cross at the front where he remained hanging for much of the performance), or the dozen female figures (plus Mary) in motion depicting the women who remained with him at the last for the Pergolesi, culminating in Jesus's own literal ascent rendered by an aerialist at the front of the church.
(w/ Kevin)
The focus was on the music, which was moving and stirring in places (all three works), but the way it was rendered generally added to it - not least the cathedral setting - whether it was the spotlit soprano in black alone, the members of the chorus rising unexpectedly from their seats in pews amongst the audience for the excerpts from Messiah as three performers moved down the central aisle, two bearing whips and one a heavy wooden beam (to then 'crucify' the Jesus figure from a large cross at the front where he remained hanging for much of the performance), or the dozen female figures (plus Mary) in motion depicting the women who remained with him at the last for the Pergolesi, culminating in Jesus's own literal ascent rendered by an aerialist at the front of the church.
(w/ Kevin)
