The Sacred Veil at Inspiration Point Center for the Arts

Description

Inspiration Point Center for the Arts presents The Sacred Veil, a spellbinding and deeply moving musical experience unlike any other in Northwest Arkansas.

Commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and recorded by them in January 2020, The Sacred Veil features original choral music by renowned composer Eric Whitacre, created in collaboration with his close friend Charles Anthony Silvestri, a poet and medieval history professor at Washburn University. This profoundly emotional work emerged from Silvestri’s personal journey toward healing after the loss of his wife to cancer, transforming grief into a luminous meditation on love, loss, and transcendence.

The “veil” of the title refers to the fragile boundary between the world of the living and the worlds that exist before and after life. The opening movement sets the tone with a powerful reflection:
“Whenever there is birth or death, the sacred veil between the worlds grows thin and opens slightly up, just long enough for Love to slip, silent, either in or out.”

In 2025, The Sacred Veil was given a breathtaking new dimension when Sophia Smith, choreographer for the Dance Department at the University of Oklahoma, transformed the work into a full ballet—adding movement as a third expressive voice alongside music and text. Performed at Inspiration Point for only the second time, this rare presentation unites the OU Dancers, the Windsong Chamber Chorale, and the original piano and cello accompaniment.

Together, these extraordinary artists offer an unforgettable evening of music, movement, and meaning—an immersive experience that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love.