Magnificat

The Basilica de la Mercè in Barcelona will host Magnificat, a deeply spiritual concert centered on Mary’s canticle from the Gospel of Luke — a song of gratitude, liberation, and hope.

The Magnificat is a canticle from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, in which Mary praises and gives thanks to God for freeing her people. Also known as Mary’s Canticle, it has inspired centuries of sacred music and reflection.

This concert is conceived as a prayer for the salvation of peoples, for peace, and for the brotherhood and sisterhood of all humanity. Performed in Italian, English, and Arabic (Darija dialect) — the mother tongue of Badrya Razem, an Italian artist from Bari with deep Mediterranean roots — the program gives voice to a universal invocation of peace.

Badrya embodies Mary’s voice, calling for peace within each individual and among peoples, beyond borders and walls. The musical journey spans from Pergolesi to Philip Glass, including Gospel texts set to music by Frisina, poems written by Allen Ginsberg during the Vietnam War era (1966), Alice Coltrane’s hymn of peace, and original compositions by Giovanni Falzone.

This concert is presented within the framework of the European project Spiritual Music, an initiative supported by Creative Europe that explores the shared spiritual heritage of different cultures, with particular attention to the dialogue between the organ tradition and new musical languages. Magnificat reflects the project’s core mission: building bridges through sound, fostering understanding across traditions, and reaffirming music as a space for collective reflection and peace.