A Change of Heart

About the Project

This March, the Academy of Sacred Drama presents a powerful Lenten reflection: a musical drama by Giovanni Bononcini, his oratorio La conversione di Maddalena (1701). In this tale of the conversion of Mary Magdalene, the beautiful courtesan walks away from a life of pleasure, influenced by her persistent sister, Martha.

Written during the Baroque, the source material for our musical production conflates the story of Mary Magdalene (a follower of Jesus and the sister of Martha) with that of Mary of Egypt, a repentant prostitute. Though factually dubious, the story of Mary Magdalene’s conversion of heart is a universal tale. Contemporary taste might have some fresh opinions about what is right or wrong, but the tension between pleasure and freedom is a theme of immediate contemporary significance.

The composer Giovanni Bononcini (1670–1747), a contemporary of G.F. Handel, had an international career and was one of most celebrated composers of his day. He worked with an unknown librettist to create this oratorio. The text is often attributed to Riccardo Rodiano, but his authorship is unlikely. There are still many mysteries in the sacred drama genre, and hopefully future scholarship answer these questions.

Though we perform without sets or costumes, the Academy’s performances tell a story through emotive gestures and subtle movement-based staging. The style of singing and instrumental music is unique and poignant. After seeing one of the Academy’s performances, an audience member remarked, “Opera has never appealed to me, but I think that oratorio is my thing!”