Modern-Day World Premiere of Domenico Freschi's 1705 oratorio, Giuditta

When: Saturday, November 18th
Time: 7:30 PM to 9:45 PM
Web Address: https://academyofsacreddrama.org/freschis-giuditta/
Event Contact: Jeremy Rhizor
E-mail: jeremy@academyofsacreddrama.org
Phone: 702-482-8353
Where: Christ Chapel at Riverside Church
             490 Riverside Dr
             New York, NY 10027
Cost: $50 premium, $25 general, $15 student/teacher
Description/Details: ”Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women on earth.” This passage is expressed in the Ave Maria and is originally said by Ozias to Judith (Giuditta) in the Book of Judith.

The Academy of Sacred Drama is pleased to present the Modern-Day World Premiere of Domenico Freschi’s 1705 oratorio, Giuditta. Freschi's oratorio is an unstaged Italian-language musical drama featuring the story of Judith from the deuterocanonical Book of Judith. Determined to reverse the cruel fate of her city, Judith captivates the commander of the enemy forces with her beauty and decapitates him in the night. Oratorio Readings include a musical performance by critically acclaimed early-music performers led by violinist and director Jeremy Rhizor, lectures by Jeremy (Nov 17th) and NYU professor Jane Tylus (Nov 18th), and a dessert break.

The Academy of Sacred Drama is a Baroque-style artistic and intellectual community based in New York City. The ambitious 2017-2018 season features a Year of Judith dedicated to the performance of Judith-themed oratorios rarely or never heard in modern times. Accompanying each oratorio is an Academy Journal that explores the text and context of the work and examines the Academy organizational format. Journal articles as well as editions and translations of the oratorios performed will be released under Creative Commons licenses.