The Vatican has challenged purist Roman Catholics by disclosing plans for a daring rock, punk and jazz opera version of Dante’s Divine Comedy with a soundtrack written by an avant-garde priest.

Monsignor Marco Frisina uses rock music as background for the Inferno, Gregorian chants for Purgatory and lyrical and symphonic classical and modern music for the advent of Paradise in the musical set to be staged in the autumn.

I guess this isn’t new news, but I hadn’t read it before. RTWT

A 100 piece orchestra, eh? I’m guessing the singers will be using microphones, then. As long as he included oboes I’m okay with it. (I’m not a “don’t you dare use mics kind of musician. Halls are larger and not all singers use that warble-y cuts through anything kind of voice.)

Besides … get this:

Mgr Frisina said that he would use heavy metal rhythms, punk rock and jazz to recount Hell, Gregorian mystical music for Purgatory and a triumphant explosion of lyrical and symphonic music, modern as well as classical, to usher in Paradise.

You SEE? It’s true! Heavy metal, punk rock and jazz are evil. Symphonic music is heavenly.

Well … DUH … 😉
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