Carles Baguer (1768-1808) was an organist and composer closely linked to the city of Barcelona, where he built a solid career, especially in the field of religious music and keyboard music. Framed within Classicism, he drew inspiration from the Viennese style that was in vogue at the time and was greatly influenced by Haydn and Mozart. Although he achieved some recognition during his lifetime, particularly as the organist of Barcelona Cathedral, his work fell into oblivion… until now.
This season Vespres d’Arnadí will have the honor of performing, for the first time in modern times, his oratorio El retorno del hijo pródigo (1807) following the critical edition of the score recently published by the Instituto Complutense de Ciencias Musicales and prepared by musicologist Lluís Bertran. To bring this ambitious work to life, we have joined forces with the Cor Francesc Valls -under the direction of Carles Prat-, tenors Juan Sancho, Pablo García-López, Roger Padullés and David Alegret, baritone Ferran Albrich, and soprano Mireia Tarragó. All of them will contribute to a work of great value that sets to music the biblical parable of the son who squanders the inheritance given to him by his father but is welcomed back upon his return, a metaphor for God's unconditional forgiveness of the repentant.
The premiere will serve as the opening event of the Llums d’Antiga festival and will be particularly special, as it will take place on April 1 in the very same venue where the oratorio was first performed: the Church of Sant Felip Neri in Barcelona. Afterwards, it will be staged in Tortosa (April 5 at the Cathedral) and at the Espurnes Barroques festival (June 7, Museu del Barroc of Manresa).
