L'Infierno (2023-2026)

L'Infierno - Performance Recordings

We as humans go through many pains in our life : loss, loneliness, unhappiness, and more. What makes us human though is our willingness to fight against this struggle…to find our way back to ourselves; to have hope.

L’infierno leads us through these spaces of misery and how we try to confront it. Told through the lens of the similarly titled epic poem, Dante’s imagery serves as apt representations suffering, especially in his evocative prose.

In following the narrative, we begin with the introduction:  I. Within a forest dark - Vergilius, where we find ourselves in a similar atmosphere as Dante, beginning his travels through the Inferno. Despite the bleakness at first, we are introduced to the main theme of hope by the cellist, representing Dante’s guide, Vergil. With this, we are set for our musical voyage through Hell.

II. Abandon all hope is where we get a glimpse of the depths of human insanity and suffering, but also the deepness of sorrow and representing the quiet battles we fight. Here is where we confront the gates before plunging ourselves within. We also hear a familiar inscription that knells what’s to come.

III. The Circles is our trek through each of the nine circles of Hell, each representing a human struggle. With the Vergilius theme being manipulated according to the struggle and the music’s atmosphere portraying Dante’s account, we hear each circle’s miniature of toil:

a. Limbo, for self- doubt,
b. Lust, for loneliness,
c. Gluttony, for our desires and vices,
d. Greed, for selfishness,
e. Wrath, for anger,
f. Heresy, for paranoia,
g. Violence, for hate,
h. Fraud, for lying,
and i. Treachery, for betrayal.

We conclude our journey at IV. Epilogue, where the theme of hope is restated.

- Composer

L'Infierno - Partial Premiere Recording - UTSA Recital Hall