Carissimi - Le Jugement Dernier

HOLY WEEK Giacomo Carissimi (1605-1674) Le Jugement dernier Thursday 25 March, 8pm Chapelle Royale Duration: 1h10 without interval An absolute masterpiece of Roman Baroque, Giacomo Carissimi's Historia di Jephte was composed around 1649 for the Oratorio del Santissimo Crocifisso in Rome, before becoming one of the great pinnacles of Italian musical literature. Carissimi recounts the story of Jephthah who, before battle, makes a foolish vow to God to sacrifice the first person who comes to meet him if he achieves victory. It turns out to be his only daughter. From this transgression arises a profoundly dramatic reversal: the warrior's triumph transforms into a funeral lament, leading to the famous final chorus « Plorate », a summit of emotion that garnered admiration throughout Europe from the 17th century onwards... It is from this act of excess that the second part of the programme stems: Le Jugement dernier. Composed by Carissimi to an anonymous text, the work blends extracts from the Old and New Testaments into a true theatrical fresco. This work is probably the most impressive musical replica of the Last Judgment, painted by Michelangelo a century earlier in Rome, the city where Carissimi spent his entire life. Under the direction of Vincent Dumestre, the musicians and soloists of Le Poème Harmonique restore all the panache and historical truth to these masterpieces. Accustomed to exploring the hidden treasures of the Italian Seicento, they make the acoustics of the Chapelle Royale resonate for an evening marked by emotion and fervour.

Thursday, 25 March 2027 at 20:00 Carissimi Chapelle royale from €56.10