This oratorio, completed in February 2022, was premiered on April 14, 2022 at Chiesa del Santissimo Salvatore, Palermo, Sicily.
Soprano: Antonia Brinkers
Old: Constanze Heller
Tenor: Flavio d'Ambra
Bass: Lukas Gerber
Members of the Opera Choir of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo conducted by Gianfranco Giordano.
Orchestra: Palermo Classica Chamber Orchestra
Direction: Alessandra Pipitone
Introductory words: Maria Rosa Randazzo
“My oratorio Crucifixus, subtitled De perversione crucis (On the Reinterpretation of the Cross), presents a modern interpretation of Christ's crucifixion: how can it still be said that Jesus died for us? What grace do we have from his martyrdom?
The explanation chosen here appeals to the fact that Jesus' comfort and trust in God prevails with us as the pain fades:
Was vom Menschen übrig bleibt
Ist nicht sein Schrei'n und Leiden
Sein Trost, seine Zusicht
Die werden uns bleiben.
This view also reflects the renewed hope that came from my miraculous recovery from symptoms of Parkinson's disease through surgery in 2014."
Libretto / Lyrics:
The text is a combination of Latin and German. While the traditional interpretation of the crucifixion is in Latin, doubts abd modern ideas are expressed in German.
Crucifixus est pro nobis!
(Jesus has been crucified for us!)
Wieso für uns?
Wieso für uns ans Kreuz geschlagen,
Wieso für uns den Schmerz ertragen
Wem nützt sein Leid? Was bleibt?
(Why for us ... what good comes from his suffering?)
Passus et sepultus, sed pro nobis.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria
Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas
(He suffered and was buried, yet for us. And he has redurned
to life after three days as it is writen in the scriptures.)
Ach, ach, wieso nur er?
Wie konnte er den Tod besiegen?
Ein jeder muss dem Tod sich fügen!
Was trotzt der Zeit, was bleibt?
(Oh, oh, why only him? How could he conquer death?
Everyone must submit to death! What defies time, what remains?)
Was vom Menschen übrig bleibt
Ist nicht sein Schrei'n und Leiden
Sein Trost, seine Zusicht
Die werden uns bleiben.
(What remains of man is not his suffering,
but his consolation and trust in God.)
Et iterum venturus est
Qui passus est
Passus et sepultus, sed pro nobis.
(And it will come back who suffered and was buried.)
Was wird aus uns?
Was von uns wird am Ende bleiben,
Was von uns bleibt nach Not und Leiden
Was trotzt der Zeit, was bleibt?
(What will happen to us and what will remain?)
Was vom Menschen übrig bleibt
Ist nicht sein Schrei'n und Leiden
Sein Trost, seine Zusicht
Die werden uns bleiben
(... his consolation will remain.)
Note of thanks:
I am forever indebted to the cast of excellent musicians selected by the director of Palermo Classica, Domenico Salerno. Especially to the singers from Teatro Massimo under the guidance of G. Giordano and the orchestra conducted by the fabulous Alessandra Pipitone. I also sincerely thank the presenter Maria Rosa Randazzo for the beautiful introduction and her husband Sandro Crippa for knitting the contacts without which this remarkable concert would never have been possible, incl. Gregorio Caimi who created the magnificent video. Grazie di cuore!
Jürgen Broschart, Juli 2022