Il Pianto della Madonna – Passion Chants

An evening of song and devotion in Salento

Il Pianto della Madonna – Passion Chants is an event of sacred music and religious tradition that takes place in Sannicola, a small town in the province of Lecce, in the heart of lower Salento. The evening, hosted in the evocative Madonna delle Grazie Church, is promoted by the Sannicola Easter Rites and Traditions Committee and is part of the rich calendar of Lenten and Easter rites that still characterize southern Puglia today.

The theme: the Mother's sorrow

At the center of the event is the figure of Mary, the Mother who witnesses the Passion and death of her Son. Through a succession of chants filled with sorrow and devotion, the evening retraces the moments that, during Holy Week, are marked by secular rites throughout the country and particularly in Central and Southern Italy. It is a journey that unites popular faith and musical memory, capable of speaking to both the believer and the traditional music enthusiast.

A journey from medieval lauds to singer-songwriters

The program spans centuries of musical history: it begins with medieval lauds, including the most beautiful pages of the Laudario di Cortona in the Italian vernacular, moves on to the Stabat Mater by Jacopone da Todi and the famous Lamento della Madonna by Claudio Monteverdi, performed in the original Latin version. The journey continues with the chants of the popular religious tradition of Saint Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, with folk songs from Sicily and the Taranto area, up to the typical chants of lower Salento dedicated to the Passion and the figure of Lazarus, closing with reinterpretations by great performers of Italian singer-songwriter music such as Mina and Fabrizio De André.

Voices, choirs, and theatrical narration

In terms of performers, the evening brings together various local groups: the San Carlo Acutis parish choir, a female choir, and numerous local soloists. The narrative framework is entrusted to the Kimera theater company, which accompanies the pieces with readings and scenic interventions, restoring to the public the profound meaning of each stage of the Passion.

Why it is worth attending

• A rare example of live sacred music in an authentic and intimate setting.
• A repertoire that ranges from the Middle Ages to contemporary song.
• Admission is free: an event open to the entire community.
• The opportunity to discover Sannicola and the Easter traditions of the Salento area in Puglia.