Date: Friday, May 9, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel
Format: In-Person; Virtual
Admission: Free – Open to the Public
Watch: Livestream in Harkness Chapel
Program
Sacred-Drama, Charpentier, and the ‘Eloquence of the Body’
While the history of 17th-century oratorio has been relatively well-documented, the praxis of visually-dramatic possibilities of this genre, specifically those related to gesture, has been neglected. This lecture-recital delves into the tightly-bound cultural network of Marc-Antoine Charpentier, where contemporary Jesuit rhetorical and spiritual practices suggest that the highly-codified gestural language used by preachers, finds a place in musical performance. Drawing on 17th-century French eloquence manuals, we find insights into the application of physical gesture in sacred musical-drama.
Performers:
- Andréa Walker, soprano
- Alissa Magee, soprano
- Sophia Duray, soprano
- Constantine Novotny, baritone
- Liz Vivian Loayza Herrera, violin
- Damonico Taylor, violin
- Jane Leggiero, viola da gamba
- Peter Bennett, organ
🎶&Բ;View or download the program
📄&Բ;View or download the texts and translations
About the Artist
Hailed as ”luminous” and ”ethereal” (Washington Classical Review), Mexican-American soprano Andréa Walker specializes in historical performance practice and vocal chamber music. She is a core singer with GRAMMY® Award-winning Baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire and has appeared with groups like the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, The Thirteen, Pegasus Early Music, NYS Baroque, and Seraphic Fire. In the summer of 2025, Andréa will participate in the Boston Early Music Festival’s Young Artists Training Program and the Carmel Bach Festival Virginia Best Adams Masterclass. Her recent solo performance highlights include a recital at the Early Music Seattle Beyond Baroque festival, her Lincoln Center debut in Telemann's "Der Tag des Gerichts" with Masaaki Suzuki and Juilliard415, a German tour in Haydn's "Schöpfungsmesse" with Yale Schola Cantorum, and being a guest artist at the Norfolk Chamber Choir Festival under the direction of Simon Carrington. Andréa is pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in historical performance practice from ӰƵ where she has taken special interest in the performance of French Baroque gesture in sacred drama and keyboard/vocal music of the German salon C. 1800. Prior to her time in Cleveland, she graduated with a Master’s in vocal performance from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music where she specialized in early music, oratorio, and art song.
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Venue
Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel (est. 1902) is known for its Tiffany stained-glass windows, soaring arches, and exquisite woodwork. The neo-Gothic structure, located on Mather Quad at ӰƵ (Cleveland, OH), commemorates the brief life of Florence Harkness Severance. The chapel offers a warm, intimate, and acoustically resonant space for Department of Music performances, lectures, and special events.
The CWRU Music Concert Series offers free concerts and student recitals in the stunning Harkness Chapel. These performances highlight the exceptional talents of CWRU students and faculty, providing the broader community with opportunities to enjoy high-quality live music in an intimate and historic setting.
Safety Protocols: University Health and Counseling Services is committed to protecting the health and well-being of our campus community. Find the latest guidelines and COVID-19 resources on the UH+CS Respiratory Viruses page.