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First, the good news: Pergolesi's Stabat Mater for soprano, mezzo-soprano, and orchestra is one of the baroque era's masterpieces, a profound treatment of the anguish felt by the Virgin Mary as she stood at the foot of the cross watching her son die. The possibilities of a striking video treatment, perhaps alternating views of the performers with Renaissance paintings, statues, possibly even film clips from a biblical movie or two, are enormous. The bad news is that this video recording is not the one Pergolesi deserves in musical interpretation, visuals, or packaging. It is part of the Jubilaeum Collection commissioned by Pope John Paul II for the celebration of the Year 2000 Jubilee in Rome, and it is a classic example of the fact that good intentions operating without technical expertise are not enough. The packaging emphasizes the presence of soprano Katia Ricciarelli, who was once a great singer. Her name is displayed almost as prominently as the composer's, but she turns out to be the weakest part of the performance, with a voice that lacks power and is often not firmly supported or controlled. Mezzo-soprano Rossana Rinaldi gives a much better performance, but one searches the cover in vain for her name or that of conductor Vito Clemente. The recorded sound and camera work are mediocre. --Joe McLellan
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