description La conversione di Sant'Agostino (Hasse) Overview
La conversione di Sant’Agostino is a sacred oratorio by Johann Adolf Hasse, the German-born composer who worked extensively in Italy and at the Dresden court. It depicts the religious conversion of Augustine of Hippo, one of the central figures of Christian late antiquity. The subject places the work within the hagiographic oratorio tradition, which presents the spiritual transformation or exemplary life of a saint through vocal and instrumental music.
help La conversione di Sant'Agostino (Hasse) FAQ
What part of Saint Augustine's life does Hasse's oratorio portray?
La conversione di Sant'Agostino focuses on Augustine of Hippo's religious conversion and his struggle to submit to a new spiritual path. His mother Monica is an important character, making the story a family drama as well as a sacred subject.
Who composed and premiered La conversione di Sant'Agostino?
Johann Adolf Hasse composed it in 1750 to a libretto by Maria Antonia Walpurgis. The first performance took place in Dresden on March 28, 1750. [IMSLP work information](https://imslp.org/wiki/La_conversione_di_Sant%27Agostino_%28Hasse%2C_Johann_Adolph%29)
What musical forces does the Hasse oratorio use?
The score is arranged in an introduction and two parts, with five named vocal roles, mixed chorus, and orchestra. The documented instrumentation includes pairs of flutes, oboes, bassoons, horns, strings, and continuo.
Is La conversione di Sant'Agostino an opera?
It is a sacred Italian-language oratorio rather than a staged opera. The work uses recitative, solo arias, chorus, and orchestra to tell Augustine's conversion without requiring the full theatrical machinery of an opera production.
explore Explore More
Similar to La conversione di Sant'Agostino (Hasse)
compare_arrows Compare: Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 See all arrow_forward
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
