Con Vidrios Verdes

Soprano + organ, 4’30” (2020)

Commissioned by Jim and Grace Roman

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a Criolla poet, composer, philosopher and Hieronymite nun in Mexico in the Baroque era. She wrote in Spanish, Latin and Nahuatl and was extraordinarily well-read from a young age. After she joined the convent, she wrote poetry on topics such as love, religion, and what we would now consider feminist thought. She was highly critical of the patriarchal power structures within the church and advocated for women’s education. Her poetry is often lyrical, expressive, and opaque in its meaning. Her poem “Verde Embeleso” uses images of fever dreams and the growth and decay of plants to criticise those who only see what they want to see when they observe the world. These images have inspired the frenetic energy and dense textures of the music in this setting.

Click here for perusal score.