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"Last Seven Words of Christ" - DuBois

Sacred Cantata -- The Seven Last Words of Christ Performance -- One Weekend Only!

On March 22nd, 24th and 25th, Irina Shachneva will conduct the Slavyanka Chorus in performances of Theodore DuBois' sacred cantata, The Seven Last Words of Christ. This rarely heard work is built around texts from the Passion story, together with meditations and prayers from the Roman Catholic liturgies of Holy Week that deepen the impact of the Biblical verses.

Because the Passion story is so crucial to the Christian tradition, priests in the early church would often sing it rather than simply reading it. This practice gradually spread across the churches of Europe, becoming increasingly elaborate, and reaching its high point in the great passion oratorios (St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion) of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Théodore Dubois (1837-1924) was a French composer, organist, choir master and teacher, and a contemporary of the well known French composers Faure, Gounod, Cesar Franck and Saint-Saens. He has focused his cantata on just one part of the Passion story -- the last sayings of Jesus. After the opening introductory movement, there follow seven sections, each focused on a particular saying of Jesus from the cross, and ending with a setting of the ancient hymn Adoramus Te Christe, a consoling conclusion.

Irina Shachneva is a highly respected conductor, teacher, performer and manager in both Russia and the United States. She received her Master of Music from the Gorky State Conservatory, and founded what has become one of the most successful children's choral music schools in Greater Moscow. Moving to Boston in 1994, she continued her education at the New England Conservatory of Music, and was guest conductor of the Jordan Hall Festival Chorus, the New England Conservatory Chorus and the Plymouth Festival Chorus. During this time she also conducted a local church choir in the great choral masterpieces, including performances at the International Music Festival in Wurzberg, Germany. She founded the International Rachmaninoff Music Festival in Boston, and later took this choir to the International Music Festival in Moscow, celebrating the 450th anniversary of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square. Mrs. Shachneva is currently Artistic Director of Slavyanka Chorus in San Francisco.