The Valletta Baroque Ensemble (ViBE) and KorMalta are set to present Baroque Music for Lent: Stabat Mater tonight at St. Dominic Church in Valletta. The performance, beginning at 8 p.m., marks the second concert in the Scarlatti Series, a programme dedicated to the works of Alessandro Scarlatti, a pivotal figure in the Neapolitan Baroque tradition.
Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater, composed in 1723 for the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Virgin of Sorrows in Naples, was intended to replace an earlier setting by Giacomo Carissimi. Though later overshadowed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s 1736 interpretation, Scarlatti’s version remains a deeply expressive reflection on the Virgin Mary’s sorrow at the crucifixion.
The Stabat Mater text, attributed to the 13th-century Franciscan poet Jacopone da Todi, has long been a source of inspiration for composers. During the Baroque period, it became central to sacred musical traditions, particularly during Lenten devotions.
Tonight’s programme will feature works by three major Baroque composers:
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Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725), renowned for his operas and sacred compositions.
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Antonio Caldara (1670–1736), a Venetian-born composer who played a leading role in early 18th-century sacred music.
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Johann Adolph Hasse (1699–1783), a Hamburg-born musician who began his career as an opera tenor before establishing himself as a composer.
The evening’s performance will be led by Riccardo Bianchi, who will serve as both director and organist, alongside five members of the Valletta Baroque Ensemble and the KorMalta Female Ensemble.
The concert, held in collaboration with Festivals Malta and KorMalta, is free to attend. More details can be found at www.festivals.mt.
