Composer

:

Gene Pritsker

Genre

:

Opera

Average_duration

:

42:19

Movement_count

:

8

Movement ....

"William James's Varieties of Religious Experience" is an opera composed by Gene Pritsker, based on the book of the same name by William James. The opera was composed in 2017 and premiered on May 6, 2018, at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York City. The opera is divided into five movements, each exploring a different aspect of religious experience. The first movement, "Conversion," explores the transformative power of religious experiences and the ways in which they can change a person's life. The second movement, "Mysticism," delves into the mystical experiences that some people have, and the ways in which they can be both transcendent and terrifying. The third movement, "Religious Melancholy," explores the darker side of religious experience, including feelings of guilt, despair, and doubt. The fourth movement, "Saintliness," looks at the lives of religious figures who have been canonized as saints, and the ways in which their experiences have inspired others. The final movement, "The Value of Religious Experience," explores the question of why people seek out religious experiences, and what they gain from them. Throughout the opera, Pritsker's music reflects the emotional intensity and complexity of James's writing, with soaring melodies, dissonant harmonies, and intricate rhythms. Overall, "William James's Varieties of Religious Experience" is a powerful exploration of the many ways in which religion can shape our lives and our understanding of the world around us. Through its five movements, the opera offers a nuanced and thought-provoking look at the nature of religious experience, and the ways in which it can both inspire and challenge us.

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