Los Angeles Master Chorale: Lagrime di San Pietro (Tears of St. Peter)
Grant Gershon, conductor
Peter Sellars, director
From the creative mind of acclaimed director Peter Sellars comes his very first a cappella staging and most personal work to date. Orlando di Lasso, writing in the late 1500s, knew that Lagrime di San Pietro was to be the last piece he would ever compose, so he packed every measure with an emotionally charged texture that channeled his pain and remorse into a towering work of beauty. With the music committed to memory, the 21 singers of the Los Angeles Master Chorale—widely recognized as the country’s leading professional choir—transform this sweeping Renaissance work into a breathtaking experience. Modern English translations are projected above the stage, while lighting design by James F. Ingalls and costume design by Danielle Domingue Sumi complement Sellars’ dramatic staging.
Setting the poetry of Luigi Tansillo, “I accept responsibility” is the fundamental theme of Lagrime, which depicts the seven stages of grief that St. Peter experienced after disavowing his knowledge of Jesus Christ on the day of Christ’s arrest prior to crucifixion. Sellars translates Lagrime through a contemporary lens, suggesting that by taking responsibility and facing our past head-on, we can forge a more resolved and fulfilling future.
Please note that there will be no late seating for this performance.
If you can, show your love for the arts by purchasing an “Advocate” ticket; the additional ticket cost directly benefits Krannert Center.