Two of the finest singers to ever grace the Seraphic Fire stage – Lauren Snouffer, soprano, and Reginald Mobley, countertenor – returned to open Seraphic Fire’s triumphant 2021-2022 season with Giovanni Battista Draghi’s (a.k.a. “Pergolesi”) undisputed masterpiece, Stabat Mater dolorosa for voices, strings, and continuo. Arranged by Johann Sebastian Bach, borrowed by Christoph Willibald Gluck and quoted by Esteban Salas, the Stabat Mater would be one of, if not the most, influential pieces of concert music during the entire 18th century. By 1800, the Stabat Mater had been published in excess of 30 times, its influence reaching all the way to the New World. Rounding out this program are two capricci from L’arte del violin (The Art of the Violin) by the ultimate Baroque virtuoso and 18th century influencer Pietro Locatelli.

Program:
America the Beautiful — Samuel Ward Newark, arr. Patrick Dupre Quigley

Taedet animam — Esteban Salas y Castro
Reginald Mobley, countertenor

O Malheureuse Iphigénie —Christoph Willibald Gluck
Lauren Snouffer, soprano

“Wir eilen mit schwachen” from Jesu, der du meine Seele Johann — Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Lauren Snouffer, Reginald Mobley

“Two Capricci” from L’arte del violino— Pietro Locatelli
Edson Scheid, violin

Stabat Mater dolorosa — Giovanni Battista Draghi “Pergolesi”