HEAVEN, HEAVEN

music composed and conducted by Mgr. Marco Frisina

voice actor Giorgio Albertazzi

Choir of the Diocese of Rome - soloist voice Paola Cecchi

under the patronage of the Archidiocesi of Spoleto-Norcia


thanks to Angelo Fabbrini Pianoforti - Pescara for the invaluable support

San Filippo Neri is the Saint of joy, of irony, of love of God and brothers who lived on the wings of lightness and at the same time, he is the Saint who embodies and teaches the enormous needs of the Gospel. For him, Jesus is a friend and at the same time our Saviour, he is a playmate as well as the sublime example to follow, He who traces the arduous journey of love to reach the supreme sacrifice of the Cross. For Filippo Neri, however, this path should be travelled singing, you can walk with Christ with a light and pure heart, making even penance easy and joyful, because it is lived for love. Paradiso, paradiso literally Heaven, heaven is an "oratory" according to St. Filippo Neri. In fact, he invented this sacred musical genre, so as to unite the Word of God and the lives of the Saints rereading them with the help of music and singing. For St. Filippo, the joy of living the Gospel was turned into a song of praise made up of life and joy.The stories that his tradition has given us are full of joy, simple and surprising humour, a deep happiness that lights up even the most difficult and painful moments. St. Filippo can still today restore the urge to smile and look at life with eyes full of sky, he invites us to smile and fly without being overwhelmed by the sadness of the world. The "oratory" will alternate music and singing, with the reading of the stories of the Saint’s life, from his arrival in Rome to his death, through his jokes and his miracles, with the same lightness that marked his extraordinary life.

Monsignor Marco Frisina (Rome, 16 December 1954) is a presbyter, composer and Italian choir conductor.

After his classical studies he attended the Faculty of Arts at the University "La Sapienza" and graduated in composition at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia. In 1978 he was a student at the Pontificio Seminario Romano Maggiore completing his theological studies at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana and obtaining a Certificate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontificio Istituto Biblico.

Ordained priest in 1982, since then he has carried out his ministry in the Diocese of Rome. He was assistant to the Pontificio Seminario Romano Maggiore and then Director of the Liturgical Office of the Vicariate of Rome from 1991 to 2011. He is currently Consultant of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, President of the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Rector of the Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.

He teaches at the Pontifical Lateran University and at the University of the Santa Croce.

In 1984 he founded - and since then directs - the Choir of the Diocese of Rome, which currently consists of over 250 elements and was founded for the animation of the most important diocesan liturgies, many of which are presided over by the Holy Father. As well as these animations, over the years Concerts in many Italian and foreign dioceses and the participation in numerous institutional events have been added. Since 1991 he has been director of the Liturgical Office of the Vicariate of Rome and Director of the Master Conductor of the Pontifical Lateran Musical Chapel which has had musicians like Orlando di Lasso and Palestrina as chapel Master.

That same year he also began collaborating in the RAI international project of "Bible", both as a biblical consultant and author of the music. In addition to the films for "Project Bible," over the years he has composed the soundtracks of many historical and religious-themed films made for RAI and Mediaset, including Michael Strogoff, Pope John, John Paul II, Edda Ciano, Callas and Onassis and the latest Pompeii, Puccini, Paul VI.

Author of numerous songs of religious and paraliturgical inspiration known in Italy and abroad, in his discography there are important collaborations in projects of Italian and international artists. Among these, Silent Night, A Christmas in Rome, produced in 1998 along with the Chieftains’ leader Paddy Moloney and Dalla Terra, disc recorded in 2000 by Mina, for whom he composed the songs Magnificat and Nada te turbe.

He has composed and performed over 20 sacred oratorios inspired by biblical characters or the life of great saints before the Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Next to these compositions two other sacred oratorios deserve to be mentioned: Cantico dei Cantici written in 2009 and Passio Caeciliae in 2011.

In 1997, Pope John Paul II appointed Monsignor Marco Frisina Accademico Virtuoso Ordinario della Pontificia Insigne Accademia di Belle Arti e Letteratura dei Virtuosi al Pantheon for which he is Spiritual Advisor.

He was music director of several important events of the Great Jubilee 2000, like the World Youth Day and, more recently, the RAI event La Bibbia Giorno e Notte, the longest direct broadcast in television history.

In 2007 he composed the theatrical opera, La Divina Commedia, first musical transposition of Dante’s masterpiece with the same title. Since January 2009, his second work for theater has also been on stage: Il Miracolo di Marcellino, based on the novel by Josè Maria Sanchez Silva, Marcellino Pane e Vino.

In 2011 he was music director for the Diocese of Rome in the Liturgies of the Beatification of Pope John Paul II, for which he also composed the Official Anthem. Also in 2011, he conducted the Choir of the Diocese of Rome in its first U.S. tour, performing in the Cathedral of New York and in the most important New Jersey theaters successfully proposing both sacred songs and excerpts from traditional Italian music.

The "Amati et Fideles" Symphony Orchestra was founded in 2002 with its first performance in July 1997 at the 26th edition of the "Rome Festival", and has achieved great success thanks to the care and sensitivity of its artistic and musical director, Maestro Filippo Manci that achieved excellent results.

The "Amati et Fideles" Symphony Orchestra has performed in various music events collaborating with the "Rome Festival", the Diocesan School of Music in Rome, Teatro Comunale of Amelia, the Association "Caetani" Cisterna of Latina, the AIDA International Academy of Arts, the Exhibition Monregalese "Corrado Moretti" in Mondovi, Coop Art, the Association "G. Torelli," the Municipality of Rome XVI winning the tender for the Christmas concerts in 2000 and 2002, Municipality of Rome XII for the concerts at the Auditorium "Saint Chiara" of Rome, the "Great Music in the Church", the "40 Concerts on the day of the Lord", the Academy of Italian Opera, the International Festival of Cortona.

The Concert for Guitar and Orchestra by Angelo Girardino, with the soloist Angelo Colone was recorded in the first performance.

Among the many concerts performed, particular mention goes to those of humanitarianism: in 1997 with the CARITAS of Foligno in Umbria for the earthquake victims, in 2003 for the families of the victims of Nasiriyah, and in 2010 for the victims of the tsunami in Haiti.

In 2006, the Orchestra embarked on a fruitful collaboration with Lidauto Music Festival of Ostia Antica, presenting a series of concerts filmed by various broadcasters.

In 2010, invited by the Governance of the Vatican City State, it presented The Seven Words of Christ by Haydn with meditations by the Card. Lajolo, President of the Governance.