Sacro & Profano

The Accademia dell’Opera Italiana presents Sacro & Profano, a captivating recital that 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 Mascagni’s Messa di Gloria, Rossini’s and Petite Messe Solennelle, alongside Puccini's sacred works. These profound pieces will be juxtaposed with the dark and dramatic arias of the Italian baritone repertoire, including the formidable antagonists of Italian opera: Scarpia (Tosca), Renato (Un ballo in maschera), Jago (Otello), and Tonio (i Pagliacci).

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.