This year, the Peralada Festival opens its Easter edition with Il Cristo condannato by Antonio Caldara, composed in 1717 for the court of Vienna, where the composer served as vicekapellmeister under Emperor Charles VI (indeed, the same one who had previously been a claimant to the Spanish throne and who brought Caldara to Barcelona, where he premiered the first Italian opera on the Peninsula, Il più bel nome).
Il Cristo condannato is not a literal narration of the Passion but an allegory of great moral force. The oratorio depicts the dramatic moment of Christ’s trial before Pilate and introduces symbolic figures such as Il Sacro Testo and L’Anima Compunta. Caldara’s music combines profound expressiveness with deep spirituality, achieving solemn, emotional, and moving moments through eloquent recitatives, dazzlingly lyrical arias, and powerful choral passages. A work that, due to its historical and musical significance, deserves to be heard today and will be performed for the first time in modern times.
The performance will take place on April 2 at the Església del Carme, where we will share the stage with Ana Quintans, Maite Beaumont, Nicolas Brooymans, Montserrat Seró, and Josep Ramon Olivé, accompanied by the Francesc Valls Choir directed by Pere Lluís Biosca. A unique opportunity to discover a forgotten score by a great master.
