The outstanding basso Stephan Kirchgraber sings with mezzo-soprano Alice Shields all the voices in the electronic Chorus, while soprano Steffanie Pierce sings the role of the Virgin in this penultimate scene from the opera. In the photograph the Virgin is turned upstage, while the Bharata Natyam dancer Swati Bhise performs the role of the Medium downstage.
The words in Latin are from the Roman Catholic liturgy:
CHORUS
Pulcra es!
(She is beautiful.)
Ecce ancilla Domini. Ecce Maria!
(Behold the hand-maiden of the Lord, behold Maria!)
Ne timeas Maria, invenisti gratiam apud Dominum.
(Fear not, Mary, for the grace of God is upon thee.)
Ecce concipies et paries
(Thou shalt conceive and give birth,)
Et vocabitur Altissimi Filius.
(and he shall be called the Son of the Most High.)
Dixit autem Maria:
(Thus answered Mary)
MARIA
Ecce ancilla Domini. fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum!
(Behold the hand-maiden of the Lord: do unto me according to thy word.)
CHORUS
Gaude, Maria Virgo! Beata Dei Genitrix!
(Rejoice, Mary Virgin, blessed Mother of God,)
Regina coeli, Spiritu Sanctus! mirabile mysterium!
(Queen of Heaven, Holy Spirit, wonderous mystery,)
Beata Regina coeli, ora pro populo!
(Blessed Queen of Heaven, pray for the people.)
Regina laetare, Alleluia!
(Queen, rejoice! Alleluia.)
Quia, quem meruisti portare, Alleluia!
(He whom thou bore, Alleluia!)
Resurrexit sicut dixit, Alleluia!
(- hath risen, as he said, Alleluia!)
Ora pro nobis Deum! Alleluia!
(Pray for us to God. Alleluia!)
Mass for the Dead was premiered by the American Chamber Opera Company in 1992 in New York City, and is published by the American Composers Alliance, Inc. at www.composers.com.
It was created in part at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center.
