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The Mystery Play in Elche occupies a unique place in the vast number of celebrations and festivals with religious origins in Spain. Nowhere else in the country is there an annual event that can be compared to it. The performance deals with the Assumption of Mary. Almost everything about the Mystery Play defies the rules of a contemporary theatrical performance. The play has its origins in the Middle Ages. And the way it is performed stubbornly adheres to the original ideas about how best to capture the audience's attention. This makes the Mystery Play refreshingly authentic on the one hand, but for some it may be difficult to place in the present day. The first evidence of a performance goes back to the 15th century. The inspiration was the liturgical dramas of medieval Europe. The starting point was to make religious stories accessible to the largely illiterate population with theatrical representations. This was done with musical forms that have largely fallen into disuse. For example, the melodies are still deeply rooted in the style of the Renaissance and the Baroque. In addition, the stylistic forms of monotony and polyphony are central. The first is a monophonic song in which the text is sung in a narrative manner. Polyphony is much more complex. It can be characterized as singing in which several melodies are sung simultaneously by the different voice registers: soprano, tenor, alto and bass. And to complete the authenticity, everything is done in the Valencian language.
The Mystery Play is performed every year on 14 and 15 August in the Basilica of Elche. The three days before are reserved for rehearsals for which tickets are sold. Admission to the Mystery Play is free. It is a matter of first come, first served. There is a choir of adults and one of children. The last choir represents the Virgin Mary and the angels. The other main characters are the apostles.
On the first day, everything revolves around the last days of Mary on earth, including her request to ascend to heaven. On the final day, her death and ascension are depicted and sung about. The visual aspect is also spectacular. A large linen cloth stretched high in the basilica symbolizes the separation between earth and heaven. Thanks to mechanical ingenuity, the ascension can be portrayed credibly.
As mentioned, nothing can compare to the Mystery Play. For people with a good sense of empathy, it can be an unforgettable event (despite the language barrier).
