The Papal Concert of Reconciliation was a historic musical event in the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. The concert took place in the Paul VI Auditorium at the Vatican on January 17, 2004, in the presence of the Pontiff, Rav Elio Toaff, the Emeritus Chief Rabbi of Rome, and Abdulawahab Hussein Gomaa, the Imam of the Mosque of Rome,[1] and an audience of 7,000 invited guests.[2] The concert also followed the first visit to the Vatican of Israel's two chief rabbis, both of whom attended the concert.[3] It was conceived, created, and conducted by Sir Gilbert Levine,[4] whose previous musical collaborations with the Pope, including the Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah in 1994 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra[5] and the Concert for the Pope's 80th Birthday in 2000 with the Philharmonia Orchestra, among others,[6] had earned him the sobriquet "The Pope's Maestro." In realizing the concert, Levine sought to fulfill the Pontiff's wish to reach out to the followers of the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), as part of the celebrations dedicated to the 25th anniversary of his pontificate.[2]
The concert was webcast and broadcast on PBS and internationally, as well as released on DVD.[7] It brought together performers from across the globe, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, which became the first American orchestra to perform at the Vatican for a Pope,[8] the London Philharmonic Choir, the Krakow Philharmonic Choir, the Ankara State Polyphonic Choir, and members of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, as well as vocal soloists Ruth Ziesak and Birgit Remmert, both from Germany.
The Pittsburgh Symphony, which Levine selected for the occasion,[4] has described the Papal Concert of Reconciliation as an "unprecedented opportunity which remains one of the most significant events in the PSO's history."[8] The concert also marked that orchestra's first known appearance on PBS after an absence of more than 20 years, dating back to the "Previn and the Pittsburgh" PBS series, which ran from 1977-1980.[9]
In an effort to sustain the extraordinary level of enthusiasm shown by Pittsburgh natives for the Vatican performance, the Pittsburgh Symphony, at Levine's initiative, subsequently developed a concert series called "Music for the Spirit."[10] Levine conducted the first three concerts in this series: Verdi Requiem in Heinz Hall, Haydn "Creation" in Cathedral of Saint Paul (Pittsburgh),[11] and Mahler Symphony No. 3 in Heinz Hall.[12] The Pittsburgh Symphony has continued the series in subsequent years.[8]
^London Philharmonic Choir. "Papal Concert of Reconciliation". Archived from the original on 2008-11-20.
^ abRoddy, Dennis B. (2004-01-18). "Pope in peace concert". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
^Willey, David (2004-01-17). "Vatican concert unites faiths". BBC News. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
^ abBartos, Patricia (2010-12-29). "Reconciliation through Music". Pittsburgh Catholic. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
^Tagliabue, John (1994-04-08). "Holocaust Lamentations Echo at Vatican". The New York Times.
^Stanley, Alessandra (2000-05-18). "Musical Friend Grants the Pope's Birthday Wish". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
^WQED. "Papal Concert". Archived from the original on 2009-03-08. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
^ abcPittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. "Music for the Spirit". Retrieved 2012-08-19.
The PapalConcertofReconciliation was a historic musical event in the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. The concert took place in the Paul VI Auditorium...
Paul II hosted the "PapalConcertofReconciliation", which brought together leaders of Islam with leaders of the Jewish community and of the Catholic Church...
2010. Snowman p. 99 "www.papal-concert-of-reconciliation.com". Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. "Vatican concert unites faiths". BBC News....
Bridge of Faiths: Music in Memoriam" Press Release: "WQED/PBS Present 'A Celebration of Faiths: The PapalConcertofReconciliation' Knights of Columbus:...
T.B. choir and two large brass choirs commissioned for the PapalConcertofReconciliation in Rome for the Ankara Polyphonic Choir, London Philharmonic...
Pontiff's Silver Jubilee celebration, also referred to as the PapalConcertofReconciliation, commemorating Pope John Paul II's 25th election anniversary...
that time, it has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today, it is the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a...
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Pope Pius XI in 1929. On 9 February 1849, the Roman Republic took over the government of the Papal States. In the following...
the State of Israel, acknowledging its centrality in Jewish life and faith. In honour of this event, Pope John Paul II hosted The PapalConcert to Commemorate...
consolidated its territorial claims to a portion of the peninsula known as the Papal States. Thereafter, the role of neighboring sovereigns was replaced by powerful...
of the diplomatic corps. In spite of the extinction of the Papal States in 1870, and the consequent loss of territorial sovereignty, and in spite of some...
role as responsalis at the papal court during the papacy of Gregory I. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "in view of the great importance attaching...
world, concerts, visits to the tomb of Saint Mary MacKillop, the Vocations Expo at Darling Harbour, reception of the Sacrament ofReconciliation, and praying...
Indigenous heritage and then-political consciousness on Indigenous reconciliation. On July 6, 2021 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Queen...
two subjects of international law: the Papal State and the Holy See. (...) Of these two persons in international law the one, the Papal State, undoubtedly...
Alfonso's words the basic ideas of the Restoration. From the point of view of content, it expressed the desire for reconciliation that the new reign should...
assassination of the Pope, but has never been applied there. Executions were carried out elsewhere in the Papal States, which was the predecessor of the Vatican...
Peace and Reconciliation: Muslim Perspective on the Mindanao Conflict (Asian Institute of Management, 2003) p.2 Ibrahim S. Omar, Diary of a Colonized...
Letter of Reconciliationof the Polish Bishops to the German Bishops from 1965. As Pope, he officially made public apologies for over 100 of these wrongdoings...
of Independence and later annexed Savoy and Nice through the Treaty of Turin as its deferred reward. At the same time, his forces defended the Papal States...
Elizabeth II in Belfast, symbolising reconciliation between the two sides. The island is divided between the Republic of Ireland, an independent state, and...
papal bulls regarding baptism and coronation of Mindaugas. The Lithuanians did not produce any surviving records themselves, except for a series of acts...
of the Romans in 962, almost 40 years after the death of the previous papally crowned emperor, Berengar. Otto's repeated territorial claims to all of...
Landler and Michael R. Gordon (17 December 2014). "Journey to Reconciliation Visited Worlds of Presidents, Popes and Spies". The New York Times. Archived...
for the loss of his country and his émigré status as well as new hope for future reconciliation. Belgium: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I Czechoslovakia:...
– from the Papal Archive at the internet site of the Holy See. Retrieved 13 December 2006. A list of works about the life and theology of John Paul II:...
Global Information