© Luca Concas
Transitus
The Sky of St. Francis
sacred play for baritone, male voices, strings, and harmonium
music by Cristian Carrara
on texts of the Franciscan traditions selected by Cristian Carrara
Clemente Antonio Daliotti baritone
Ecce Novum vocal ensemble
conductor Silvia Biasini
Giovanni Petrini and Mauro Collina tenor
Andrea Jin Chen baritone
Decio Biavati bass
Tempo Primo instrumental ensemble
Simone Castiglia concertmaster
Francesca Fogli viola
Akita Thano cello
Luca Di Chiara double bass
harmonium Andrea Berardi
commissioned by Ravenna Festival
The death of St Francis has been extensively described in Franciscan sources, and episodes from the Saint’s life are still revived in liturgical service, as well as his relationship with Earth and Heaven. Transitus is a sacred play, a sort of liturgy of memory, where Francis sings of the approaching of Sister Death. He does so with the words he had spoken in his lifetime, and with the symbolic, ritual, liturgical gestures of the ancient dramatic tradition. Indeed, the Franciscan theme is dear to Carrara, who had already explored it in 2017 with Sola beatitudo. Now the fire of Francis’ mystical experience will be rekindled among the golden mosaics of San Vitale by this free re-elaboration of ancient Gregorian liturgical offices celebrating the Poor Man of Assisi in his passage to Heaven.
