Vatican concert marks Pope's 6th anniversary
May 06, 2011
On May 5, the Opera Theatre of Rome performed works by Vivaldi and Rossini in a concert at the Vatican’s Paul VI auditorium. The concert was arranged by Italian president Giorgio Napolitano, to honor the 6th anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s installation as Roman Pontiff.
At the conclusion of the concert, the Holy Father thanked Napolitano for his “exquisite courtesy,” and praised the performers and directors for their “splendid execution” of the two pieces. Repaying the Italian leader’s courtesy, the Pope noted that this year is the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, and identified the two composers, Vivaldi and Rossini, as artists of whom Italy “should feel proud.”
Commenting on the two works, the Pope—whose loe for music is well known—observed that Vivaldi’s Credo testifies to a deep faith: “It confidently affirms the true meaning of the reality that sustains us, that sustains the world.” Regarding Rossini’s Stabat Mater, the Pope said that “Rossini’s piety expresses a rich range of feelings in the face of the mysteries of Christ with a very strong emotional tension.”
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