On the 9th of November, the Focus Foundation, based in the Hospital de los Venerables, will host the concert-screening in which the master organist Juan de la Rubia will score Carl Theodor Dreyer's masterpiece.
The organ of Los Venerables, built by organ builder Gerhard Grenzing in 1991, is one of the most important instruments on which European Baroque music is played.
Seville, 27 October 2021 - On November 9th, the Seville European Film Festival will hold a concert-screening of The Passion of Joan of Arc, Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 film, with live music from the organ of the Focus Foundation's Hospital de Los Venerables.
Juan de la Rubia, resident organist at the Basilica of La Sagrada Família, who specialises in improvising upon silent films and is one of the most outstanding organists on the international scene, will visit the church of the Hospital de Los Venerables and perform live music for Dreyer's classic film, a masterpiece in the history of cinema and a work of timeless modernity.
The activity, part of the Seville Festival's programme held from November 5th to 13th, will be a unique opportunity to contemplate Maria Falconetti's mythical performance in the role of Joan of Arc in the historic setting of the Hospital de los Venerables, owned by the archbishopric of Seville, the headquarters of the Focus Foundation since 1991, and one of the most outstanding 17th century heritage sites in Seville, located in the Santa Cruz district.
Juan de la Rubia, a master organist
Juan de la Rubia, titular organist of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, is a native of La Vall d'Uixó (Castellón), where he began his studies under the guidance of his father and Ricardo Pitarch. His education, carried out in various European capitals, included the mastery of Óscar Candendo, Wolfgang Seifen, Michel Bouvard and Montserrat Torrent, as well as Olivier Latry and Ton Koopman. During his early years, he received up to five Extraordinary Prizes in various specialities, as well as the First Prize in the Permanent Competition of Juventudes Musicales de España (2002) and the El Primer Palau Prize (2004), awards that contributed to boosting his career considerably.
His incessant activity as soloist, conductor and accompanist has led him to perform on the main stages around the world, including the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the cathedrals of Cologne, Westminster, Bogotá, Mexico City and Tunis, Saint-Sulpice in Paris, the Mariinsky Theatre and the Philharmonia in St. Petersburg, among others. He has also worked with conductors such as Andrew Grams, Simon Halsey, Salvador Mas, Kazushi Ono, Víctor Pablo Pérez and Simon Rattle.
In the last decade, de la Rubia has also specialised in improvising on silent films, including Murnau's Faust and Nosferatu and Lang's Metropolis.
The organ of Los Venerables, an international musical gem
The organ in the church of the Hospital de los Venerables was built by the renowned master organ builder Gerhard Grenzing, commissioned by the Focus Foundation in 1991 for the development of its musical activity. The organ has 4 keyboards and a pedal, 45 stops and 3,000 pipes; its aesthetics have been carefully designed to adapt to the rich decoration of the church of Los Venerables.
Throughout its 30 years of incessant musical trajectory promoted by Focus, it has received praise from the most important international organists, highlighting its personality and versatility. Its perfect acoustics make it one of the best organs for playing European Baroque music, and its exceptional sonority can be enjoyed in a unique setting.
SCREENING - LOS VENERABLES - ORGAN CONCERT.
Venue: Hospital de los Venerables (Plaza de los Venerables, 8)
Date: 9th November | 20:00 h.
Price: 10 euros
Available for sale here
