São Carlos National Theatre Chorus and Portuguese Symphony Orchestra

Premièred in 2006, La Passion de Simone is an extraordinary work by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, responsible for some of the most remarkable contemporary musical creations. Born in 1952, she drew her inspiration from the figure of Simone Weil, a pivotal writer in her own intellectual development.

The work takes the form of what she describes as a «musical journey in 15 stations», a structure that derived from the tradition of Passion Plays.

According to the composer, this is, however, the only similarity that it has with a traditional oratorio. The 15 movements, all of which are very different in their atmospheres and structures, are based on different moments in the life of Simone Weil, as well as on different aspects of her thought.

The work resulted from a close collaboration between Saariaho, Amin Maalouf and Peter Sellars.

It was written for soprano, choir, orchestra and electronic instruments. The soprano takes on the main role of the narrator of the piece and Simone Weil’s texts are also delivered in the electronic music that completely envelops the audience.