Antonín Dvořák's STABAT MATER to be Presented at Tulsa Opera

Art, architecture, spirituality, and music unite as the Tulsa Opera presents the Tulsa Opera Signature Chorale, the Tulsa Opera Orchestra, and four soloists representing the best in local and national talent at Tulsa's iconic Holy Family Cathedral in Antonín Dvořák's Stabat Mater, a beautiful, personal and timeless reflection on tragedy and hope.

Based on a medieval text attributed to the Italian Franciscan monk Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306), "Stabat Mater" is a shorthand for the first line of text, "Stabat Mater dolorosa iuxta crucem lacrimosa dum pendebat Filius," or "The grieving Mother stood weeping beside the cross where her Son was hanging." It is a meditative, sensitive rendering of the Crucifixion story as seen through the eyes of Mary, exploring themes of grief, love, faith, compassion, and ultimately, hope.

"Dvořák's Stabat Mater is one of the most profoundly moving works in the vocal repertoire-filled with sweeping emotion, spiritual depth, and raw humanity," says Tulsa Opera Artistic Director and Stabat Mater conductor, Maestro Aaron Beck. "Presenting it with the Tulsa Opera Signature Chorale and Tulsa Opera Orchestra reflects the artistic ambition at the heart of Tulsa Opera: to honor the tradition of great vocal music while embracing opportunities to bring powerful, rarely heard masterpieces to our stage and our community."

Dvořák's inspiration for the Stabat Mater is traditionally attributed to his grief over the deaths of his three young children, but he had already begun sketching the work before the death of his two-day-old daughter Josefa. However, following the tragic deaths of his remaining two children within a month of each other, Dvořák added three movements and set it for orchestra. The Stabat Mater premiered in Prague on December 23, 1880, and soon received performances in Brno (conducted by Czech Leoš Janáček), Budapest, and England, the last to such resounding success that Dvořák was invited to conduct it himself the following year in London's Royal Albert Hall. This performance represented Dvořák's first major international success, and helped establish his Stabat Mater as the most famous setting of the text, as well as one of his most popular and frequently performed works.

Tulsa Opera's production features Filstrup Resident Artists and Laven Sowell Artists, soprano Paige Grilliot Dickey and tenor Justin Kroll, with soprano Mary Ann Stewart and bass-baritone Mark McCrory in the solo roles. Maestro Aaron Beck will conduct the Tulsa Opera Signature Chorale and Tulsa Opera Orchestra. Also debuting at the performance is Tulsa Opera's new Art at the Opera program, which seeks to shine a spotlight on Oklahoma talent by inviting select visual artists and writers to attend a designated performance and create works inspired by their experiences. These works will later be displayed and sold at a special concert event. Artists may apply on the Tulsa Opera website.

The one-night-only performance takes place on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Family Cathedral, 820 South Boulder Ave. West, Tulsa 74119. It is sung in Latin with an English translation provided.