Stabat Mater by Pergolesi in Oxford

On 17th February 2026, at the Hertford Chapel of Oxford University, Red Events with Oxford University New Russian Society presents a luminous Oxford premiere — Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, featuring soprano Abigail Barker and countertenor Gleb Zakharov as soloists.

Please note: this is a free event and will take place in the format of a dressed rehearsal (open rehearsal with full concert presentation).

In 2026, we mark 290 years since Giovanni Battista Pergolesi composed Stabat Mater — a work written in the final weeks of his life and forever associated with the Easter season. This anniversary year is a unique opportunity to experience Stabat Mater exactly as it was intended: as a deeply human meditation on grief, faith, and transcendence.

A hymn of sorrow and celestial beauty, it has inspired composers from Bach to Vivaldi, and performers from Montserrat Caballé and Barbara Hendricks to other legendary interpreters, such as Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Philippe Jaroussky, Nathalie Stutzmann, and Andreas Scholl — artists whose performances over the past century have elevated Pergolesi’s masterpiece to the highest international acclaim.

Now, in the heart of Oxford University, this profound meditation on compassion and human fragility receives a new, intimate staging — conceived specifically for the sacred acoustics of Hertford Chapel. A subtle, carefully crafted lighting design will shape the space throughout the performance, offering a contemporary visual reading that enhances rather than distracts, illuminating the emotional and architectural depth of Pergolesi’s masterpiece.

This one-night-only Oxford premiere offers a rare opportunity to experience three sections of Pergolesi’s masterpiece exactly as it would have sounded in his own time — performed in the authentic Neapolitan church pitch used in 18th-century Naples, in lower, warmer tuning which lends the music a darker, more velvety colour.

The concert organised by Red Events & Distribution Ltd. — the creative agency which makes exceptional cultural events in ancient mansions, on rooftops, in greenhouses and in other most atmospheric venues of Europe, the United Kingdom, Georgia, Armenia and other countries. Also in the repertoire – a collection of concerts by candlelight and with complete immersion in the space of video art and sound.

🎟️ Doors open at least 30 minutes before the concert. Follow the instructions of administrators and security. We recommend arriving at concerts in advance. Out of respect for guests and performers, late entry may not be permitted.

⏳ Duration: approx. 60 minutes (without interval)

Age restriction: 6+

🎟️ Tickets are selling fast! Don’t miss your chance to witness this breathtaking concert that brings the magic worlds to life — now with voice and soul.