LA PASION SEGUN SAN MARCOS: OSVALDO GOLIJOV

Yesterday WQXR aired a live Carnegie Hall performance of Golijov's Passion.  It was fascinating and of the highest artistic quality: an operatic performance of the finest Latin American music presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have yet to examine it's theological quality but the parts I heard were very moving and Catholic in content (although the composer is an Argentine Jew).

I would say that this work is a Latin American operatic version of Jesus Christ Superstar.  Wonderful!  The Spanish language is particularly well suited for expressing the Supernatural.  It is, after all, the language of the great Catholic mystics: e.g. Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila.  And when you add the Latin instruments to the mix you get the Baptism of the most visceral human emotions.  That is very Catholic!  the essence of Christianity! to consecrate and offer all good things to the Lord!  What Osvaldo Golijov has done here is very similar to what was done in the "Misa Criolla" of Ariel Ramírez.

All that is left is to examine the libretto to ensure that there are no heresies therein (e.g. nothing that contradicts the Gospel of Jesus Christ as faithfully guarded and handed down by His Church).  I will let everyone know once I have done that.