Stabant Matres
a spiritual parable for five voices, three actresses, mixed choir, and ensemble
music Paolo Marzocchi
libretto Guido Barbieri
Maria Valentina Coladonato soprano
Tamar Manuela Rasori soprano*
Rahab Simona Mastropasqua mezzo*
Betsabea Clara La Licata soprano*
Rut Benedetta Gaggioli soprano*
Actresses of the Scuola di Teatro di Bologna “Alessandra Galante Garrone”
conductor Paolo Marzocchi
Coro Ecce Novum
choirmaster Silvia Biasini
LaCorelli Ensemble
*female voices of the Master in canto “Musica Vocale e Teatro Musicale del ’900 e contemporaneo” of the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Ravenna
commissioned by Ravenna Festival
premiere
The Gospel of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, in which the names of four women stand out in the line that links him to King David: Tamar, the wife of Judah; Rahab, who married Salmon and was the mother of Boaz; Ruth, the wife of Boaz and the mother of Obed, who became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of King David; and Bathsheba, who married David and became the mother of Solomon. To this list of women who never met the Saviour, another name must be added: Mary.
A new, completely original production combines song, drama and music to evoke these ancient mothers, who were not Jewish and who, with the exception of Bathsheba, came from the lowest classes of society and were sometimes prostitutes. Biblical commentators have no doubts: Christ is the descendant of the chosen people of Israel, but through matrilineal descent he represents all humanity, without distinction of wealth, affiliation or identity.
