Great Barrington — The full title is “Rappresentatione di anima et di corpo,” Italian for “Portrayal of the Soul and the Body.” Widely regarded as the first opera—or perhaps the first oratorio—it will be performed by the Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra and vocal ensemble on Saturday, May 10, 6 p.m., at Trinity Church in Lakeville, Conn., and again on Sunday, May 11, 4 p.m., at Saint James Place in Great Barrington.
Emilio de’ Cavalieri was born into privilege: His father was a close friend of Michelangelo, and the family maintained strong ties to the powerful Medici court. A true Renaissance man, Cavalieri was a composer, producer, organist, choreographer, dancer, and diplomat. His wide-ranging talents and theatrical instincts helped usher in the Baroque era. He is also credited with introducing the vocal trill and was among the first composers to experiment with equal temperament, a tuning system that would later become standard in Western music.
Cavalieri’s “Rappresentatione di Anima, et di Corpo” is a morality play set to music, dramatizing a philosophical and spiritual dialogue between the Soul (Anima) and the Body (Corpo). Temporal vanities clash with eternal truths through the voices of nine allegorical characters: Soul, Body, Counsel, Intellect, Time, Pleasure, Guardian Angel, World, and Worldly Life. Though sacred in content, the work employs fully staged action and music—making it a clear forerunner of what we now call opera. Subsequent oratorios often used it as a starting point.
Here is why “Rappresentatione” is so important:
- It bridges sacred drama and opera.
- It is one of the earliest—if not the very first—example of recitative.
- It is devotional in nature while using secular theatrical techniques.
- It was published with detailed stage directions, making it one of the earliest examples of a complete dramatic musical work with documented performance practices.
Solo vocalists for this program will be:
- Soprano Paulina Francisco — Anima
- Baritone Anicet Castel — Corpo
- Bass-baritone Paul Max Tipton — Mondo and Il Tempo
- Tenor Pablo Bustos — Intelletto
- Baritone Jermaine Woodard Jr. — Consiglio
- Countertenor Benjamin Rauch — Piacer
- Mezzo soprano Salomé Sandoval — Angel Custode
- Soprano Jennifer Tyo Oberto — Vita Mondana
Crescendo Founding Artistic Director Christine Gevert, who is of German and Chilean nationalities, earned her master’s degree in organ and early music performance in Germany and a degree in music theory in Chile. She has taught in both Germany and Chile. She has performed solo recitals as organist and harpsichordist and has performed with and conducted such ensembles and orchestras as the Berliner Bachsolisten, the Berliner Bachorchester, Leipziger Bachchor, La Giola, L’Arpa Festante, Musica Poetica, Chursaechsische Capelle, Estudio MusicAntigua, and Ars Antiqua Lipsiensis. In Chile, she has performed with Collegium Josquin, Capella Antiqua, Pentagrama, Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile, and Orquesta de Cámara Universidad Católica.
Hear the Crescendo vocal ensemble and period instrument players perform Cavalieri’s “Rappresentatione di anima et di corpo” on Saturday, May 10, 6 p.m., at Trinity Church in Lakeville, Conn., or on Sunday, May 11, 4 p.m., at Saint James Place in Great Barrington. More information and tickets are available here.
