This program in mixt quintet (mezzo, contralto, ténor, deux basses) conserves the two musical poles of Ensemble Irini that are: Catholic Western- Orthodox Eastern. Those two poles are put in resonance here around the topic of Christian Mysticism. O Sidera explores the mysteries and limits of human conception of the divine, and how those strange frontiers are transcripted in Music. The Western part of the program is embodied by Orlando di Lasso's mystical Prophetiae Sibyllarum, composed circa 1553-55, while History loses the track of the great composer for two years. The style of this unique opus is absolutely breathtaking by its modernity, with its chromatisms wovenning the language of the intangible. The texts are those of the Antic Sibyls (Delphes, Perse, Libye..), reshaped by christian scholars to announce the arrival of the Messiah. The Byzantine part presents liturgical songs of Constantinopolis such as the virtuoso Cheruvikon, the Agni Parthene, the Polyeleos or the Acathiste to the Theotokon, all touching to the mystery of the divine, singing of the humble place of Mankind regarding the "Great beyond" as poet Rabindranath Tagore writes.
Cast
Irini Ensemble
Lila Hajosi, conductor
Eulalia Fantova, mezzo
Julie Azoulay, contralto
Benoît-Joseph Meier, tenor
Guglielmo Buonsanti, bass
Alessandro Ravasio, bass
Reconhecido internacionalmente pelos seus elevados padrões e pelas propostas únicas, extraordinárias e ousadas, o ensemble fez incidir o programa em excertos das “Profecias das Sibilas (Prophetiae Sybillarum)”, pondo em perspectiva a música de Roland de Lassus (1532 – 1594) com algumas das mais significativas peças do repertório bizantino (…) momentos de forte e intensa espiritualidade, marcados de forma singular pela beleza e harmonia das vozes do ensemble e pela energia apaixonada de Lila Hajosi, a sua directora musical.
On admire la qualité de l’ensemble, son homogénéité, son hyper-précision tonale dans les pièces latines, mais c’est surtout dans la partie byzantine que la magie opère pleinement (…) l’originalité du répertoire, la beauté mystérieuse de la liturgie orientale, créent une véritable fascination.
(…) La plupart des pièces ont été arrangées par la cheffe de l’ensemble, Lila Hajosi, dans un esprit qui paraît d’une parfaite authenticité. Elle dirige avec précision et souplesse, s’aidant pour les deux dernières pièces d’un encensoir dont on pourrait aisément imaginer voir sortir la fumée purificatrice et nous gratifie d’un bis qui reprend l’introduction de la pièce contemporaine de Zad Moultaka (commande conjointe de l’ensemble et du Centre culturel de l’Abbaye de Noirlac) qui ouvrait cet étonnant programme dont elle mêle d’une certaine façon la multiplicité des styles.
Lila Hajosi - Direction, arrangements
Eulalia Fantova - Mezzo Soprano
Julie Azoulay - Contralto
Benoît-Joseph Meier : Tenor
Guglielmo Buonsanti - Bass
Alessandro Ravasio - Bass
Label Paraty / Pias Harmonia Mundi
Release October 2021
Coproduction Abbaye de Noirlac, Région Sud, Drac PACA, ADAMI, Mairie des Baux de Provence.
Images : Julie Sève
Sound : Aude-Marie Piloz
Lila Hajosi - Direction, arrangements
Eulalia Fantova - Mezzo Soprano
Julie Azoulay - Contralto
Benoît-Joseph Meier : Tenor
Guglielmo Buonsanti - Bass
Alessandro Ravasio - Bass
Label Paraty / Pias Harmonia Mundi
Release October 2021
Coproduction Abbaye de Noirlac, Région Sud, Drac PACA, ADAMI, Mairie des Baux de Provence.
Images : Julie Sève
Sound : Aude-Marie Piloz
Abbaye de Noirlac
Recording O Sidera
Paraty/Pias Harmonia Mundi
Région Sud, Ministère de la Culture, ADAMI, Abbaye de Noirlac, Commune des Baux de Provence, Arsud
Videomaker : Julie Sève
Ensemble Irini is in concert in Paris to celebrate the release of its brand new album “Printemps sacré” (label Psalmus)…
Read moreEnsemble Irini is in concert in Paris to celebrate the release of its brand new album “Printemps sacré” (label Psalmus) at the church Notre-Dame des Blancs Manteaux on Friday November 22nd.
