Stabat Mater

My aim is to create a wave of emotion, from moments of great violence to sublime acceptance, as so clearly expressed in this wonderful poem and so skillfully depicted by Scarlatti." Paul Agnew

The Stabat Mater is undoubtedly Domenico Scarlatti's most famous and most frequently performed sacred work—and one of the few that has survived to this day. 

Probably composed in Rome between 1714 and 1719, this choral piece depicts with striking expressiveness the suffering endured by the mother of Christ at the time of the Crucifixion. Its dramatic intensity—resolutely Baroque—contrasts formally with its reference to a polyphonic tradition dating back to the 16th century: the “stile antico.” At the time of its creation, the Stabat Mater was indeed both archaic and innovative. This paradoxical anachronism is found in many sacred pieces from the same period. Although the Vatican prescribed the use of the “stile antico” for music intended for Catholic worship, many composers were also immersed in the world of theater and opera, where major stylistic innovations were taking place at the time. No wonder, then, that their sacred works show such a baroque sensibility in their portrayal of emotions...

To convey all this subtlety and musical richness, Paul Agnew combines Scarlatti's Stabat Mater with pieces by his contemporaries Antonio Lotti and Leonardo Leo, thus sketching a picture of sacred music as it might have been heard in Rome in the early 18th century.

Concert offered as part of the Festival de Printemps - Les Arts Florissants 2026

Bookings 

Box office opening: February 26, 2026 at 10 AM 

www.evenements.vendee.fr 

or by phone: (+33) (0)2 28 85 85 70 (Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM)

Access to the Gardens of William Christie 

On April 24, 25, and 26, 2026, each ticket to one of the Festival de Printemps concerts grants free admission to the William Christie Gardens.

Guided tours on April 25 and 26 at 12 PM and 3 PM