Sacro & Profano

The Accademia dell’Opera Italiana presents Sacro & Profano, a captivating recital at Conway Hall on November 20th at 7:00 PM. This unique program brings together baritone Massimo Modoni and acclaimed organist Jeremiah Stephenson in an exploration of the dramatic contrasts within operatic and oratorio repertoire, featuring the organ as both a liturgical instrument and a powerful orchestral force.

The evening will showcase sacred Romantic Italian masterpieces, including excerpts from Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Petite Messe Solennelle, alongside Mascagni’s sacred works. These profound pieces will be juxtaposed with the dark and demonic arias of the dramatic baritone repertoire, including the formidable antagonists of Italian opera: Scarpia (Tosca), Renato (Un ballo in maschera), Jago (Otello), and Rigoletto.

This recital delves into the duality of the baritone voice, at once a herald of the sacred and a vessel for the monstrous, while also reimagining the organ’s role beyond the church, as an orchestral alternative capable of unparalleled depth and power.

Join us for an evening of contrast and intensity, where devotion and darkness collide in the grandeur of operatic and sacred music.