Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” to be performed on Good Friday at the Collegium Musicum Riga concert hall
On 26 March 2027 at 18:00, the Collegium Musicum Riga concert hall will host a Good Friday performance of one of the most outstanding masterpieces of Baroque sacred music — Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater”. The concert will feature soprano Monta Martinsone, sopranist Rūdis Cebulis and the Baroque ensemble Collegium Musicum Riga, conducted by Māris Kupčs.
Pain, love, compassion and hope — these universal human experiences run through “Stabat Mater” by the Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710–1736), a work that has touched listeners around the world for almost three centuries.
Composed in 1736, shortly before the composer’s untimely death at the age of 26, “Stabat Mater” has become one of the best-known works of Baroque sacred music. It is based on the 13th-century Latin sequence Stabat Mater dolorosa, which tells of the Virgin Mary’s suffering at the foot of the crucified Jesus.
In twelve movements, Pergolesi reveals a remarkably varied world of emotions — from profound sorrow and despair to consolation and hope. The work’s musical language is characterised by expressive melodies, delicate harmonies and an especially close relationship between words and music.
“Stabat Mater” gained widespread popularity in Europe soon after the composer’s death. Its influence was so significant that Johann Sebastian Bach also used Pergolesi’s music to create an adaptation with a German text — the cantata BWV 1083.
Two extraordinary voices come together
In this concert, Pergolesi’s masterpiece will take on a distinctive sound, with the two vocal parts performed by soprano Monta Martinsone and sopranist Rūdis Cebulis.
Monta Martinsone is a Latvian opera singer whose professional work spans opera, chamber music and Baroque vocal repertoire. Her interpretations are characterised by musical refinement, emotional expressiveness and a deep understanding of the music she performs.
Rūdis Cebulis possesses a unique voice — he is a sopranist who graduated from the master’s programme in early music singing at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. He has gained international experience through collaborations with Collegium Musicum Riga and conductor Māris Kupčs, as well as performances in Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Estonia and elsewhere in Europe.
Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” is traditionally performed by soprano and alto voices. This time, the combination of a soprano and a sopranist will allow listeners to discover the work in a different tonal colour while preserving its musical and emotional depth.
A historically informed interpretation
The concert will feature the Baroque ensemble Collegium Musicum Riga - the best-known and one of the most accomplished early music orchestras in the Baltic states, with more than 30 years of experience in historical performance.
The ensemble’s artistic work is based on the principles of historically informed performance, using Baroque instruments and their replicas, while paying particular attention to the musical language, articulation and ornamentation characteristic of the period.
At the conductor’s podium will be Māris Kupčs - a conductor, harpsichordist, early music researcher and educator who has made a significant contribution to the development of historically informed performance in Latvia. Under his direction, the ensemble regularly takes part in international concert projects and early music festivals.
Music in the spirit of Good Friday
Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” is more than a work of sacred music — it is a deeply personal message about suffering, compassion and hope.
On Good Friday evening, this music will take on a special significance, inviting listeners to pause for a moment and experience one of the most emotionally powerful masterpieces of the Baroque era.
The intimate atmosphere of the Collegium Musicum Riga concert hall and the sound of historical instruments will allow listeners to experience this music up close — hearing every musical nuance and the interplay between the two soloists’ voices.
Join us on 26 March to experience Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” — music that speaks across the centuries.
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi — “Stabat Mater”
Date: 26 March 2027, Good Friday
Time: 18:00, approximately 60 minutes, without an interval
Venue: Collegium Musicum Riga concert hall
Address: Vaļņu iela 9–3, Riga (entrance from Zirgu iela)
Tickets: At Biļešu Paradīze box offices and online.