Pergolesi and Sabina Puértolas

I came across a new video of a great favourite -- Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater" just recently.  It is the best rendition I have heard and I have heard many.   See and hear below:

The way the soprano threw herself into it was truly impressive. Never has "pertansivit gladius" been sung with greater passion. Sadly, whoever put the video up gave no information about it. So I had to do a bit of digging to find out all about it.  But I did in the end find this:

"Accompanied by the French musical ensemble Les Talens Lyriques, Spanish soprano Sabina Puértolas and American mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux perform Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. It is composed in 1736, in the final weeks of Pergolesi’s short life (4 January 1710 – 16 March 1736), and scored for soprano and alto soloists, violin I and II, viola and basso continuo (cello and organ). Conductor: Christophe Rousset"

The performance seems to have been in April this year.  In Spain, Ms Puértolas is not Spanish.  She is Aragonese (from Aragon, ancient Aragon).  There is an artistic history of her here, which shows her as a very busy singer -- so she is obviously widely appreciated. I tried to find out some personal history, even trawling through the notices in Italian, but could not find a thing.

I may have to take more notice of Spanish singers.  I was greatly impressed by the performance of Evelyn Ramirez Munoz as the divine voice in the premiere version of Falvetti's "Il Diluvio universale".  Munoz is a Spanish surname so I assume Ms Munoz is Spanish but you can never be sure these days.  Argentinian? See below:


I note that there is another rendering of the Falvetti just out and she seems to have grabbed her old role in the latest version as well.  See below.  She is the lady in black.


I guess that by Northern European standards she over-acts but in singing a work from Sicily, what the hell?

Stabat Mater dolorosa
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa
Dum pendebat Filius.

The grieving Mother
stood weeping beside the cross
where her Son was hanging.

Cuius animam gementem
Contristatam et dolentem
Pertransivit gladius.

Through her weeping soul,
compassionate and grieving,
a sword passed.

O quam tristis et afflicta
Fuit illa benedicta
Mater unigeniti!

O how sad and afflicted
was that blessed Mother
of the only-begotten!

Quae moerebat et dolebat,
Pia Mater, dum videbat
Nati poenas incliti.

Who mourned and grieved,
seeing and bearing the torment
of her glorious child.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si videret
In tanto supplicio?

Who is it that would not weep,
seeing Christ’s Mother
in such agony?

Vidit suum dulcem natum
Moriendo desolatum
Dum emisit spiritum.

She saw her sweet child
die desolate,
as he gave up His spirit.

Eja Mater, fons amoris
Me sentire vim doloris
Fac, ut tecum lugeam.

O Mother, fountain of love,
make me feel the power of sorrow,
that I may grieve with you.

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
In amando Christum Deum
Ut sibi complaceam.

Grant that my heart may burn
in the love of Christ my God,
that I may greatly please Him.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas
cordi meo valide.

Holy Mother, may you do thus:
place the wounds of the Crucified
deep in my heart.

Fac ut portem Christi mortem,
passionis fac consortem,
et plagas recolere.

Make me to bear Christ's death,
sharing in His passion,
and commemorate his wounds.

Inflammatus et accensus
per te, Virgo, sim defensus
in die iudicii.

Inflame and set on fire,
may I be defended by you, Virgin,
on the day of judgment.

Fac me cruce custodiri
morte Christi praemuniri
confoveri gratia.

Let me be guarded by the cross,
armed by Christ's death
and His cherished by His grace.

Quando corpus morietur,
fac ut animæ donetur
Paradisi gloria. Amen.

When my body dies,
grant that to my soul is given
the glory