Composer and soprano Dr. Stephanie Susberich presents The Lily of Quito, a cantata on St. Mariana de Jesús de Paredes, the 17th-century mystic and patroness of Ecuador, to be performed at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola on Park Avenue in Manhattan. A member of the Third Order of St. Francis, St. Mariana is remembered for a life of devotion, sacrifice, and profound spiritual interiority, and is known as the “Lily of Quito,” a title linked to a miracle at her death.

Originally composed as Susberich’s doctoral dissertation, The Lily of Quito is a large-scale work for soprano and ensemble that seeks to render the saint’s inner world through a contemporary musical language shaped by lyricism, theology, and emotional precision. Drawing directly from Mariana’s own words, the work allows the saint to speak in her own voice, giving musical form to her lived spirituality rather than a retrospective portrayal.

The score is held in the Victoria and Joaquín Rodrigo Archive in Madrid, managed by the Victoria and Joaquín Rodrigo Foundation, alongside his own oratorio on the saint, establishing a rare historical and artistic dialogue between the two works.

The program situates the cantata within a broader sacred and historical context. It includes Joaquín Rodrigo’s La Despedida de Azucena from his oratorio on the same saint, offering a rare opportunity to encounter two distinct musical interpretations of Mariana de Jesús. The Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola will also perform Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla’s Missa Ego flos campi, along with Rodrigo’s Ave Maria, rounding out an evening that bridges centuries of sacred expression.

This performance continues Susberich’s ongoing work of bringing the lives of saints into contemporary musical form, uniting historical devotion with a distinctly present artistic voice.

Meet the Composer talk to precede concert. Reception to follow in Wallace Hall.

TICKETS GO ON SALE 7/1/26 AT 9AM!