Mystical Visitations is a collection of songs set mostly on Hatzis' own lyrics invoking a number of vernacular musical genres and styles. The subjects of these songs are invariably religious; the imagery and symbolism are often Christian, but their spirituality is universal: it transcends religious particulars. In performance it is the vocal soloist revealing her world to the audience, not a composer speaking to his listeners through a singer. As the title suggests, the subject of the entire cycle is the inner world of a woman visited by the divine.
Born in Greece, educated in the United States and a Canadian citizen since 1985, composer Christos Hatzis (b.1953) is becoming widely known as a leading figure in contemporary classical music. His works are performed and broadcast throughout the world, and their frequent combination of a powerful spiritual foundation with an immediately accessible appeal has made a deep emotional impact upon audiences and performers alike.
