Latest news with #Israelite
Sydney Morning Herald
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
This show hasn't been seen on a Melbourne stage for 40 years. Now it's back
OPERA Samson and Delilah ★★★ Melbourne Opera, Palais Theatre, June 1 Samson and Delilah is the quintessential grand opera – large scale, spectacular (with many choruses and two ballets) and requiring superb singers. Melbourne Opera's production – and music lovers should be grateful yet again for their vision and determination – unfortunately really had only the last. The staging was deeply underplayed – deliberately so, according to the director's program notes, to emphasise psychological aspects (budget constraints might have been relevant). For me, it didn't work. The sets were far too minimalist, the lighting not even that, though Rose Chong's costumes were a highlight. The stage was divided into three, with the singers in front, the orchestra behind – which considerably reduced its impact – and the chorus above and behind them. The outstanding contribution came from the principals, Deborah Humble and Rosario La Spina, and the chorus (which is always outstanding). La Spina's huge, sweet tenor was ideal for Samson, but the biggest moments belong to the mezzo Delilah, and Humble relished them: sensitive, seductive, superb. Simon Meadows, Jeremy Kleeman and Eddie Muliaumaseali'i were splendid in the minor roles, while conductor Raymond Lawrence was sympathetic to composer and singers. The opera, which Camille Saint-Saëns (himself quite familiar with marital problems) takes from the Old Testament, tells of the Israelite leader who is seduced and betrayed by the vengeful Philistine Delilah. First performed in 1877, it was slow to bloom because of its biblical theme, but became immensely popular worldwide. Loading For the shortcomings, director Suzanne Chaundy – a leading force in so many of the company's recent triumphs, especially its series of Wagner operas – must take chief responsibility. The production was almost introverted, especially the climax where the blinded Samson pulls down the temple of the Philistine god Dagon, killing thousands. The bacchanal would scarcely have offended a women's temperance union. When Delilah came on stage brandishing Samson's shorn locks (the secret of his strength, symbolising his vow to God), they looked more like a dead possum. Yet, despite imperfections, Melbourne's first Samson and Delilah in 40 years was a real pleasure.
The Age
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
This show hasn't been seen on a Melbourne stage for 40 years. Now it's back
OPERA Samson and Delilah ★★★ Melbourne Opera, Palais Theatre, June 1 Samson and Delilah is the quintessential grand opera – large scale, spectacular (with many choruses and two ballets) and requiring superb singers. Melbourne Opera's production – and music lovers should be grateful yet again for their vision and determination – unfortunately really had only the last. The staging was deeply underplayed – deliberately so, according to the director's program notes, to emphasise psychological aspects (budget constraints might have been relevant). For me, it didn't work. The sets were far too minimalist, the lighting not even that, though Rose Chong's costumes were a highlight. The stage was divided into three, with the singers in front, the orchestra behind – which considerably reduced its impact – and the chorus above and behind them. The outstanding contribution came from the principals, Deborah Humble and Rosario La Spina, and the chorus (which is always outstanding). La Spina's huge, sweet tenor was ideal for Samson, but the biggest moments belong to the mezzo Delilah, and Humble relished them: sensitive, seductive, superb. Simon Meadows, Jeremy Kleeman and Eddie Muliaumaseali'i were splendid in the minor roles, while conductor Raymond Lawrence was sympathetic to composer and singers. The opera, which Camille Saint-Saëns (himself quite familiar with marital problems) takes from the Old Testament, tells of the Israelite leader who is seduced and betrayed by the vengeful Philistine Delilah. First performed in 1877, it was slow to bloom because of its biblical theme, but became immensely popular worldwide. Loading For the shortcomings, director Suzanne Chaundy – a leading force in so many of the company's recent triumphs, especially its series of Wagner operas – must take chief responsibility. The production was almost introverted, especially the climax where the blinded Samson pulls down the temple of the Philistine god Dagon, killing thousands. The bacchanal would scarcely have offended a women's temperance union. When Delilah came on stage brandishing Samson's shorn locks (the secret of his strength, symbolising his vow to God), they looked more like a dead possum. Yet, despite imperfections, Melbourne's first Samson and Delilah in 40 years was a real pleasure.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Under shadow of deportation, Latinos find light at Hyattsville church
The Rev. Vidal Rivas, senior priest of Iglesia San Mateo in Hyattsville, a growing church consisting mostly of Latino immigrants. (Photo courtesy St. Matthew's Episcopal Church/Iglesia San Mateo) On a recent sunny, but cool, Sunday morning, Jorge Villela stands with the Rev. Sally Ethelston and a small circle of volunteers at the doors of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church/Iglesia San Mateo in Hyattsville. They're there to stand guard and to walk the grounds once Mass begins and the church doors are locked, part of a strict protocol enacted at the growing, largely Latino congregation after President Donald Trump began issuing executive orders targeting immigrants. 'The goals of the door guardians and the process we have in place are to ensure that worship services at San Mateo are able to continue uninterrupted and that any entry by agents of ICE/CBP or cooperating agencies is fully legal,' said Ethelston, a deacon here, in reference to agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection. Inside, men, women and children are filling the pews, while nearly 4,000 people have tuned to Radio San Mateo for the noon Mass celebrated in Spanish by the Rev. Vidal Rivas, a charismatic, longtime community activist and the senior priest for this 500-member congregation. At the door, Villela greets congregants with a smile and an outstretched hand. 'For me that is the best impression you can make, to be received well,' he said, greeting each parishioner by name, taking note of the newcomers who file past him to worship at one of three services in Spanish this Sunday. Should ICE agents or officers show up, the guardians know to alert both Father Vidal and Deacon Sally. Meanwhile, inside the church congregants begin to fill the sanctuary with communal song, led by a five-woman choir and electric band. White-robed celebrants lead a procession down the central aisle, followed by Rivas and Ethelston in purple vestments. In his sermon, Rivas reflects on the day's biblical reading recounting the story of the Israelite enslavement in ancient Egypt. 'It speaks to us of a reality that we are living today,' he said. 'The Egyptian empire saw this people as a threat because they grew so much [that] they had to be subdued. They had to be humiliated, and they had to be exploited. Sadly, in the times in which we are living, political leaders have forgotten that their grandparents and parents also came as immigrants like us. Its roots are immigrant.' Rivas' remarks continued, with nods of recognition. 'And, the laws being promoted insult humanity, suffocate the poor. And, instead of [allowing immigrants] to move around and share in the development of the nation, they are persecuted, imprisoned and deported,' he said. As a Salvadoran immigrant, Rivas' life mirrors those he ministers to at San Mateo. Born in El Salvador, he grew in small town that during the civil war there in 1980s was caught between the excessive violence of the military and the leftist guerrillas. In the midst of that, he became a Roman Catholic priest. 'I know what war is. I was kidnapped. I was beaten. I was persecuted,' he said. 'And, as a priest who has suffered in El Salvador, I cannot be indifferent to the pain of the people who suffer the persecution, the injustices.' Rivas brought that mission to St. Gabriel Church Washington, D.C., in 1998. But, early on his high-profile fight for justice and immigration rights landed him in the crosshairs of church leaders in the diocese. '[They] said I was too liberal for always supporting [those] actions,' he said. His response: 'They [the immigrants] have committed no crime. All they did was cross a river, a border and be here and contribute.' Within three years he left the church, but not the priesthood. He worked alongside Latino advocacy groups, with the Barbara Chambers Children's Center and stood with union organizers. He also founded the Oscar Romero Solidarity Committee, a nonprofit service organization named for the slain Salvadoran Catholic archbishop, an outspoken critic of the war in El Salvador and a champion of the poor, and vulnerable in society. In search of a parish where he could minister to the greater immigrant community, Rivas turned to the Episcopalian Church, whose tenets align closely with his Roman Catholic values, but which is more liberal. He was ordained an Episcopalian priest in 2008. That same year, St. Matthew's in Hyattsville offered to rent him space. Rivas arrived with 35 Latino followers. Among them was Silviano Celestino, who says that San Mateo grew with intention as it began to recruit Latino parishioners. 'And, we started inviting them [Latinos], going from house to house, putting flyers under doors, [telling] them there was now a Hispanic community at San Mateo with services in Spanish,' he said. The Latino and English-speaking congregations unified as a single parish in 2011. As senior priest, Rivas initiated more services in Spanish, and the popular daily online ministry. Other ministries included providing COVID-19 vaccinations and running an ongoing health clinic. From mid-2022 until the end of 2023, the church housed more than 100 Venezuelan migrants, many seeking asylum for short-term emergency stays. San Mateo has also become a leader on issues that impact the poor including rent control and food security. Volunteers lead know your rights workshops and regularly, help immigrant parents fill out temporary guardianship papers to ensure the care and well-being of their children. Rivas has pledged to serve as stand-by guardian to 16 minors. 'Padre [Father Vidal] is absolutely phenomenal,' said Cindy Conant, a former Hyattsville librarian who has participated many of the volunteer efforts. 'The people [at San Mateo] are so hardworking and gracious…. And, when the people thank me, I want to thank them for letting me be there!' Rivas, meanwhile, never waivers. 'My message is always one of reconciliation and liberation,' he said. 'I try to embody the Gospel in the reality in which we live.' That message moves Villela, a construction worker by day, to head multiple church committees. 'People feel protected when they hear him speak,' he said. It also moves Celestino, San Mateo's janitor, to spend his free time at the church. He teaches Sunday School and is studying to be an Episcopal deacon. 'We all have in some way a job or a mission to do within the church to be supportive' he said. 'It's a safe place where there is a lot of help for people who seek it.' Rivas also hears the fears. Some tell him that because he is such an outspoken human rights defender that San Mateo will be a target for deportation raids. 'And I tell them, it's the other way around,' the priest says. 'First, your church is protected by God. Second, we have many friends who take care of us and defend us!' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Black church's role in Civil Rights and social justice continues to grow
The first Black congregations in America pre-date the nation's founding in 1776. Since then, African American churches continue to support faith, and the fight for Civil Rights across the country and in Chicago. The origins of the Black church in America could conceivably be traced to the first experiences of Africans in this country, on plantations. When ministering to Blacks, white preachers often used so called 'slave bibles,' different from the ones they used in their own churches. One of three remaining copies belongs to Fisk University. It emphasizes passages calling for servants to be obedient. Stories like Moses leading the Israelite slaves to freedom were removed. So, the enslaved often met in their quarters, secretly, to sing and pray, and discuss ideas for their collective good. Dr Jemar Tisby, professor and author of 'The Color of Compromise' says one of the first things Black people did after the civil war, was form their own congregations. 'The Black church itself is resistance to racism,' he said. 'It wasn't over any deep theological differences with white Christians. It was because they didn't want to be treated as second class citizens in the household of God and the only way that could happen was to form their own churches.' But even before the civil war, the country began to see the effects of the Black church's political power. Alvin Tillery teaches political science at Northwestern University and leads their Center for Study of Diversity and Democracy. 'The earliest sort of evidence of that would have been what we call the 'Federal period of the Republic,' right after the War of 1812, where you had the African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination being founded in I believe the 1790's,' Tillery said. 'They became incredibly active in the anti-slavery movement and they were also the foundation of the back to Africa movement.' Reverend Dr Otis Moss III leads the congregation at Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's South Side. They're well known for playing an active role in addressing the issues Black people face, beyond the church building. In the early 2000s, Trinity found itself under fire during the election of President Barack Obama, who was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ at the time. Portions of a sermon preached by then pastor, Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright criticizing the government about it's handling of September 11th made headlines, forcing a public distance between the church and the former president. 'The role of the Black church tradition is to speak truth to power,' Moss aid. 'Jesus was always speaking to those who were in power, demanding that they treat and recognize those who were the most marginalized in the community and we are following that tradition.' In the '50s and '60s, the Clack church served as a hub of safety, services and strategy. Related: Historic meeting in Illinois paved the way for Black citizens' rights 'We see historically Black churches being literally the physical sites for organizing. When Civil Rights workers didn't have any other place to meet, they could meet at a Black church,' Tisby said. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. was a master of finding the intersection of politics and the pulpit, forming the Southern Christian leadership conference in 1957, after successfully leading the Montgomery bus boycott; a movement born inside a church; a movement King says some white Christians could have been more involved in. 'We should remember his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. He admonished the white moderate many of whom were Christians and his frustration was that they were sitting on the sidelines during the Civil Rights movement, they weren't actively involved,' Tisby said. 'Some of them just supported the racist status quo, and they did that because they though there should be this separation between faith and what they called social justice. … There should certainly be a separation of church and state but that doesn't mean there is a separation of faith and politics.' And politicians know the people in those pews, vote. The evidence can be seen every election season. 'It's been a tradition in certain cities where politicians will show up at a church seeking their constituents for votes. I think there should be particular parameters,' Moss said. 'One of the things we do here at Trinity, we set up a community forum, where politicians can come and the community can actually question the person coming, versus just using the platform to speak.' More; Black History Month stories and more With church attendance in America falling across denominations, some analysts say the political power once held is weakening. 'Another problem is the Black church's cultural conservatism,' Tillery said. 'We just saw with the African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination. Their continual refusal to sanctify same sex marriages you know; this really cuts against public opinion in those same generations they need to get into their pews.' As the new Trump Administration introduces the first 'White House Faith Office' to eradicate what it describes as 'anti-Christian bias within the federal government' some have concerns about religion being used to separate Americans. 'Historically that is not how the Black church has interpreted faith in politics. They've wanted an expansion in democracy and expansion of Civil Rights, and they've understood that as part of their faith as being made in God's image having equal dignity with all types of people,' Tisby said. Moss says the issues that transcend politics will always be part of the Black church's focus. 'No matter who is in power, there are going to be people who are unhoused. No matter who is in power, there are going to be people who have mental health challenges. No matter who is in power we have to make sure that our children are able to flourish, that we disrupt a mass incarceration system, and we look toward the idea of economic equality,' he said. 'That is not a democrat or republican issue, that is a human flourishing issue and that is what the church should be speaking about.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
