In the midst of a new war back in Europe, here is a 2023 end-of-year concert of Russian Sacred Music in the Early Christian Basilica of San Vitale al Quirinale in Rome. The Casa Russa in Rome, a cultural center of reference not only for Russian speakers, had announced it in advance and in fact the announcement was effective: the Church of San Vitale which hosted the concert was full and there was no seating available.
Concert announcement poster available online.
The website of ROME INTERNATIONAL - the guide to important events in the capital, highlighted that the soloists of the Dmitrov city choir “Union of Orthodox Women”, the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater and the Moscow Academic Musical Theater “Stanislavskij and Nemirovich-Danchenko” Maria Pakhar (soprano), the vocal ensemble of the Russian House in Rome. On the piano - graduated from the Moscow Conservatory and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, winner of prestigious international competitions Natalia Pogosyan. The soloists of the Dmitrov city choir “Orthodox Women's Union” will perform, the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater and the Moscow Academic Musical Theater “Stanislavskij and Nemirovich-Danchenko” Maria Pakhar (soprano), the vocal ensemble of the Russian House in Rome . On the piano - graduated from the Moscow Conservatory and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, winner of prestigious international competitions Natalia Pogosyan.
The performed repertoire is shown below:
The event took place without pomp, in a context of simplicity and essentiality, where there was nothing too much and nothing missing, as per Russian tradition.
Members of the Russian Embassy were present not only among the onlookers.
The Diocese of Rome itself, through its parish priest, a musician himself, wanted to highlight the event because it was not a simple musical event, as some of the audience present well understood.
Although the official part of the evening ended with Caccini's Ave Maria, a particular, almost transcendent, universal and absolute moment seemed to resonate, shortly before, like a prayer with assonances of kyrie elesion. Forgiveness is Grace, not granted by men, but by the Only One who can give it!
In conclusion, due to place, contents and forms, expressed or implicit, the event can be assumed as a subtle intent of reaffirmation of its Christian origins by the Russian environment, as well as of its European origins that the Western and European world first, it seems not willing to remember, especially at a time when the paths to peace cannot be opened in the face of an exhausting war between brotherly peoples in origin.
From the beautiful cultural evening we have this image of the entrance into the basilica with the Blessing of St. Patrick for the Traveler (and we all are such, on our way in this life!):
LET IT BE THE WAY AT YOURS
SIDE, THE WIND ALWAYS AT
YOUR BACK, THAT THE SUN
SHINE WARM ON
YOUR FACE AND THE RAIN
FALL SWEETLY IN THE FIELDS
AROUND AND, UNTIL
WE WILL NOT MEET
AGAIN, GOD PROTECT YOU
IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND.
Only one "worry" remains, that number 8212 engraved on the base, under the Cross, to which no meaning has been given!
