This month’s St John’s First Friday Noontime Concert falls on a special Friday indeed: Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, a day when churches all over have services that commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.
Taking full advantage of the occasion, St. John’s will be presenting Giovanni Pergolesi’s shattering Stabat Mater in its entirety — just a little over 30 minutes — right at noon, perfect for a lunch hour, performed by the vocal ensemble Deux: Crystal Jarrell Johnson, mezzo-soprano, and Angela Malek, soprano.
Singer Crystal Jarrell Johnson and pianist Geoffrey Waite stopped by our studio to perform live on the air in preparation for Friday’s program (where Waite will be playing organ). Johnson says it is “a really beautiful meditation for Good Friday. I can’t think of anything better.”
She adds, “It’s such an interesting story … [Pergolesi] composed this in his final days,” before he died of tuberculosis. It’s a telling of the crucifixion through the eyes of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and a startlingly intimate and emotional take.
Concerts are free and open to the public, followed by a luncheon with a suggested $10 donation. Complimentary parking is available on site. All the info is at stjohnssa.org.
