ASD - Arts-Scène Diffusion

Ensemble Irini

VOCAL ENSEMBLE

Maria Nostra

Travelling between the Western Middle Ages, the Byzantine heritage and the Eastern Christian tradition, the Irini Vocal Ensemble highlights the various figures of the Virgin and her cult, which finds a particular resonance in the Mediterranean. We see the image of this woman taking shape through the epiclesis of Mary: from the almost erotic celebration of the Young Girl in Bloom, reminiscent of ancient pagan rites, to the lamentation of the Mother, the earthly woman confronted with the death of her only child, to the praise of the Queen of Heaven, the universal Mother interceding for humanity, it is an image of the woman that is at once one and multiple that we see taking shape through the epiclesis of Mary.

The programme includes Greek, Lebanese, Syriac and Cypriot Orthodox chants, excerpts from the Vermeil Book of Montserrat (14th century, Spain) and 13th century Italian Lauds.
The Irini Ensemble (whose name means "peace" in Greek) invites you to discover the diversity and musical richness of Marian devotion in the Mediterranean.

Cast

3 singers
Lila Hajosi, direction

Press

Cécile Chéraqui, Classica, Février 2019

(…) Ce premier enregistrement de l’ensemble Irina est une merveille de douceur, d’intimité et d’homogénéité. En effet, rarement des timbres et des tessitures se sont aussi bien trouvés et ce, malgré les parcours et univers différents des chanteuses. La tondeur de ce trois voix, à la tessiture étonnamment grave, nos fait écouter l’album avec délectation(…).