This year, Vocal Ensemble De Witt Academy (DWA) is hosting a Neapolitan Passion concert on Silent Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 8 p.m. in the Remonstrant Church. It involves the St. John Passion and three magnificent motets from the Responsoria by Alessandro Scarlatti and the Stabat Mater by Emanuele d'Astorga. Both Italian composers were born in Naples. The city celebrates its 2,500th anniversary this year. In addition to several soloists from the choir, a major role is played by altus David van Laar. A baroque string ensemble assembled especially for this concert accompanies the choir under the direction of conductor Yvonne Peters. The basso continuo is in the hands of Elly van Munster on theorbo and Margriet den Hartog on organ.
Rarelyheard passion program of vocal splendors
The starting point for the concerts of De Witt Academy is to perform lesser known but high quality (choral) repertoire. With this, the vocal ensemble aims to expand and enrich the range of music on offer in Dordrecht.
Dordrecht has a rich Passion tradition: many times, especially musical passions by J.S. Bach have been performed by the various choirs in the city. However, DWA again opts for a surprising passion program with vocal splendors from the Baroque period that are rarely heard and, for Dordrecht, undoubtedly another premiere.
Passio secundum Johannem (c. 1685) by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) offers a beautiful and captivating Latin alternative to the well-known German Passion tradition.
The vocal ensemble interweaves three motets from Alessandro Scarlatti's Responsoria in this John Passion, namely the beautiful Miserere Mei, Exaltabo te and Ad Dominum dum tribular.
The Stabat Mater (c. 1730) by Emanuele d'Astorga (1680-1757) is a long forgotten masterpiece on the border of Baroque and Classicism, written several years before Pergolesi's famous version in the same city (Naples).
Neapolitan food
There is also the possibility to dine in advance at restaurant Post for € 42.50 p.p. (3 courses)
To reserve via: https://www.restaurantpost.nl/agenda/napolitaans-menu/
