The Sacred Veil is a composition for a cappella choir, piano and cello by Eric Whitacre, with lyrics by Charles Anthony Silvestri. He composed it in 2018, also including lyrics of Silvestri's wife Julie, who died of cancer and to whom the composition is dedicated.[1][2]
Performances
editThe work was first performed in February 2019 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall conducted by Whitacre.[1] Other performances in the US include the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, performing the piece in October 2023.[3]
The European and British premiere took place in July 2019 in London.[4]
The first performances in Australia and New Zealand were in September 2022 at the Sydney Opera House, after a two-year postponement due to the COVID pandemic,[5] and at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland.[6]
More European performances feature the Austrian premiere in January 2022 in Vienna[7] and the Dutch premiere, which, after being postponed from March 2020, took place in February 2023 at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, conducted by Whitacre.[8] The German premiere took place at the Stadtkirche Darmstadt in December 2023.[9] The Swiss premiere is planned to take place in September 2025, featuring Whitacre as conductor.[10]
The Latin American premiere took place in May 2023 in Antigua Guatemala, with Silvestri being present as a special guest.[11] The first performance in Spain took place in September 2023 at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona.[12]
A 2022 performance by Voces8 is featured on the 2023 album Home.
References
edit- ^ a b Whitacre, Eric (2018). "The Sacred Veil – Music Catalog – Eric Whitacre". ericwhitacre.com. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Rick Schultz (19 February 2019). "Cancer, chemo and The Sacred Veil: Master Chorale sings a search for solace". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Eric Whitacre Conducts the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus". ClevelandOrchestra.com. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ Whitacre, Eric (1 July 2019). "European Premiere of The Sacred Veil". ericwhitacre.com. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "2022 season: The Sacred Veil". sydneyphilharmonia.com.au. 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "An Evening with Eric Whitacre & Voices New Zealand". voicesnz.com. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "Musik am 12ten: The Sacred Veil (Erstaufführung in Österreich)". musikam12ten.com (in Austrian German). 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "The Sacred Veil (Dutch premiere)". grootomroepkoor.nl. 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "Deutsche Erstaufführung an der Stadtkirche Darmstadt". www.stadtkirche-darmstadt.de. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Eric Whitacre: The Sacred Veil – Schweizer Erstaufführung unter der Leitung des Komponisten". vocalino-wettingen.ch (in Swiss High German). 18 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ "The Sacred Veil en San José el Viejo – SIC". sicultura.gob.gt (in Spanish). 28 May 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
- ^ "Cor de Cambra del Palau & Whitacre". palaumusica.cat (in Spanish). 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
