Gerda Poppa

End-time horror and hymn to the light

(Bild: Julian Forte Fotografie)

The oratorio "OmegAlpha" by Gerda Poppa will be premiered next Sunday, June 30, in the Rankweil Basilica.

In recent years, Gerda Poppa, who lives in Röthis, has increasingly made a name for herself as a composer. On Sunday, a long-cherished idea of hers will become reality, as her oratorio "OmegAlpha" will be premiered as part of the Rankweil Basilica Concerts. "I knew right from the start that it had to be something with a large cast," says the composer, organist and mother of two, who was born in 1963.

"That it would need soloists, a choir and an orchestra to express this world of sound and ideas." Gerda Poppa felt motivated and encouraged by Benjamin Lack's spontaneous agreement to participate with his Feldkirch Chamber Choir and to take on the overall direction. An ad hoc orchestra was put together and three top-class vocal soloists were recruited, some of whom were already familiar with Gerda Poppa's music from other projects. They are mezzo-soprano Lea Elisabeth Müller, alto Veronika Dünser and bass Martin Summer. This impressive line-up will interpret one of the greatest and most enigmatic myths of Christianity in sound, namely the "Revelation" of John, also known as the "Apocalypse".

End-time horrors and trumpets
The angel's trumpet sounds seven times, announcing ever new end-time horrors. Gerda Poppa has added further texts to the biblical text - she has used the "Einheitsübersetzung", as this is non-denominational - mostly by herself, but also a "Loblied auf das Wasser" from Goethe's "Faust". She has also deliberately included hopeful passages. "I didn't just want to be negative. A positive text can also sensitize people to a topic," she says. Because that is what this deeply thinking and feeling composer wants: to point out what we are doing to nature, to creation. So she has the choir sing the names of marine animals that have already been wiped out, in Latin and in Gregorian style, by the way. Or the word "greed" is called out in various languages because, according to Gerda Poppa: "This is a global phenomenon".

This also draws attention to the musical style of this work, which is very diverse and expressive, but not overly provocative in its tonality. "I don't want to overtax either the performers or the listeners," says Gerda Poppa. And the organ, her very own instrument, naturally plays a role. At the end of the "Fourth Trombone", organist Julia Rüf switches from the chest organ in the chancel to the large organ for a solo toccata. This is a kind of time-out for the audience and the other musicians, and a new sound impression, as the music now comes from a different direction. This toccata leads into a song based on the psalm of the "Good Shepherd", which Gerda Poppa sees as "the pillar of our faith". And how does the title "OmegAlpha" explain itself?

A shifted hymn to the light
The composer sees a bridge to "Genesis", the biblical account of creation, in the continuation of the "Seven Trombones" and therefore ends her great work with a hymn to light. The premiere, originally planned for March 2024, had to be postponed due to the illness of one of the performers. It will now take place on Sunday, June 30 at 7 pm in Rankweil Basilica, with an introduction at 6 pm in the Mesnerstüble.