A Romanian Pilgrim’s Progress Cantata

On Saturday 14th March, A Romanian Pilgrim's Progress Cantata, will take palce at the Bunyan Meeting at 7pm.

What better place to listen to this unique vocal-symphonic piece than Bunyan Meeting? This was the very place where John Bunyan himself was a pastor and preacher, between 1671 and 1688.

The Pilgrim's Progress Cantata will be performed by The Evanghelic Choir and Orchestra joined with Emanuel University Chamber Choir, as part of a UK tour all the way from Romania.

Written by Emanuel Bălăceanu in 2003 for narrator, soloists, choir and orchestra, the "Pilgrim's Progress Cantata", was first performed in the historical Lutheran Church of Bucharest. It is inspired by John Bunyan's famous allegory, many of its themes coming from the Romanian Evangelical hymnology. In 2018 the cantata has been orchestrally revised, while most of the narrative sections got an orchestral accompaniment.

The Cantata could well be regarded as an artistic fusion between English and Romanian cultures, as much as it stands on universal ground. While Bunyan's masterpiece has been translated into more than 200 languages and printed worldwide, the hymn themes are both Romanian and universal, being assimilated by churches throughout Romania.

The Cantata will be performed in Romanian, while the narrative part will be in English. There will be subtitles and programmes in both languages.

Tickets are available here.