Art has a unique power to transmit stories and emotions: the possibility of directly reaching people’s hearts. With this objective was born the oratorio “Joaquina: Light of Charity”, a musical proposal directed by the Sr. María Dolores Aguirreand composed by the musician and composer Luigi Pastoressa.
“Joaquina enters better this way. Seeing her, and with good music…”
Sr. Maria Dolores Aguirre
An oratorio is an opera-like composition, often with a religious theme, performed by solo voices, choir and symphony orchestra. In this case, the work was created by Luigi Pastoressa, a musician with an extensive background in organ, piano, composition, and Gregorian chant, with the accompaniment of the Sr. María Dolores Aguirre. She herself is the director of the choir “Iubilate Deo”, which performed the interpretation after more than a year of rehearsals in Rome, where they are based. Some of her artists performed the soloist voices, and joined in the Sr. María Gracia Gil and Ramón Rialwho participated as narrators. In addition, several sisters participating in the EGC took part, playing the role of the first sisters who followed Joaquina.
The performance took place on Saturday , March 21, in the church of the Motherhouse, in Vic, framed in the Extended General Council, and also within the celebrations of the Vedruna Bicentenary. About fifty people enjoyed the live show: the sisters participating in the EGC, sisters from other communities in Catalonia, and friends of the family.
Sister General, Maria Teresa Cuervo, opened the event with words of welcome and thanks to Sr. Maria Dolores, the choir “Iubilate Deo” and Luigi Pastoressa. Immediately after, the show began, with the voice of the narrator bringing us closer to the life of Joaquina de Vedruna, the musical prelude and the entrance of the choir.
The complete recording of the oratorio can be viewed on our YouTube channel.
