An angel entrusts Adam with a fateful task: to bestow a golden apple on the woman who is to give birth to the mother of God. This is the premise of the song that is the core of our program—Adam Michna’s “Calling the Sacred Bride”, which is one of thirteen songs dedicated to the origins of christianity.
Starting with Eve, Adam suggests a variety of biblical heroines for the role. Each is rejected by the angel for a different reason, until they finally land with Anne, Jesus’s grandmother. In our program, we have chosen to focus on these heroines—some of the strongest women scripture has to offer—and place the spotlight on each of them in her turn. Breaking up Michna’s song into multiple sections, we present each of these heroines with a short excerpt from the song, then dive into a brief exploration of her character.
The Golden Apple is made out of a myriad of short pieces, each selected carefully to illuminate one of the characters. Baroque music from Bohemia, England, Italy and Germany is mixed with Nari’s original declaimed texts, bringing the story to life in a captivating combination of sounds and text that is certain to keep the audience engaged throughout.
J. Čart (1708 - 1780)
Largo from cello sonata in F major
A. Michna z Otradovic
(1600 - 1676)
Povolání duchovné nevěsty from Loutna česká, verses 1 - 2
A. Mazák (1609 - 1661)
O gloriosa domina from Cultus Harmonicus
A. Michna z Otradovic
Povolání duchovné nevěsty from Loutna česká, verses 3-4
J. Galliard (c. 1687 - 1747)
Ye mists and exhalations and Moon that now meet’st the orient from “The Hymn of Adam and Eve”
E. Rotem (1984 - null)
I am the Rose of Sharon
A. Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Largo and Allegro from recorder sonata (RV 806)
A. Michna z Otradovic
Povolání duchovné nevěsty from Loutna česká, verses 5-6
A. Draghi (1634 - 1700)
Excerpt from Giuditta
A. Scarlatti (1660 - 1725)
Combatutta navicella from Giuditta
A. Michna z Otradovic
Povolání duchovné nevěsty from Loutna česká, verses 7-8
G. F. Handel (1785 - 1659)
Heav’n has lent her ev’ry charm from Esther (HWV 50b)
A. Vivaldi
Andante and Allegro from recorder sonata (RV 806)
A. Michna z Otradovic
Povolání duchovné nevěsty from Loutna česká, verses 9-11
A. Stradella (1643 - 1682)
Così va, turbe insane and Collegata col potere from La Susanna
G. P. Telemann (1681 - 1767)
Nein du wirst mich nicht versäumen from “Wer sehnet sich nach Kerker, Stein und Ketten” (TWV 1:1594)
A. Michna z Otradovic
Povolání duchovné nevěsty from Loutna česká, verses 12-13 & 17
G. F. Handel
Flammende Rose, Zierde der Erden (HWV 210) from Nine German Arias