The Primada Cathedral of Toledo hosted on Sunday, February 22, the presentation of Kiko Argüello’s Symphonic Work, as part of the commemorative events for the 800th anniversary of the laying of the first stone of the Gothic temple.
According to the Archdiocese of Toledo, the concert brought together more than 1,500 people and could also be followed through the diocesan television channel. Among the attendees, numerous Neocatechumenal communities from the archdiocese stood out.
The event began with the welcome from the dean of the Cathedral, Juan Pedro Sánchez Gamero, followed by a prayer from the Archbishop of Toledo, Francisco Cerro Chaves. Kiko Argüello personally presented the work, explaining its spiritual and catechetical dimension.
Two works centered on the Passion and the martyrial witness
The Symphonic Work consists of The Suffering of the Innocents and The Messiah. The first proposes a musical reflection on the Passion of Christ and the sorrow of the Virgin Mary. The second, conceived as a symphonic poem for piano, choir, and orchestra, is structured in three movements—Aquedah, Daughters of Jerusalem and The Messiah, Lion to Conquer—and is dedicated to the Christian martyrs.
During the presentation, Argüello referred to the martyrs of the religious persecution of the 1930s in Toledo, especially remembering the members of the diocesan clergy who lost their lives and highlighting the testimony of forgiveness offered by many of them.
Musical direction and artistic cast
The musical direction was in the hands of maestro Tomáš Hanus, with a career on international stages such as the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Paris Opera, the Teatro Real in Madrid, or the Scala in Milan. Pianist Claudio Carbó and choir director Abraham Sánchez completed the artistic team.
The performance was carried out by the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of the Neocatechumenal Way, made up of nearly 180 musicians of various nationalities who participated voluntarily.
International trajectory of the work
This Symphonic Work has previously been presented on various international stages, including the Teatro Verdi in Trieste and the «Parque de la Música» Auditorium in Rome, as well as in various cultural spaces in Spain and other countries.