Carola’s passion play “Via Dolorosa – Maria Magdalena’s love” is now being released on CD. It is about a woman who was seen, elevated and trusted by Jesus, and about her thoughts and feelings when she became part of the most famous drama in world history.

Carola has created the passion play together with Erik Hillestad. She has composed all the melodies and plays the lead role. Erik has written all the lyrics and produced the album. 

Carola says that for her personally this is the most important album she has ever made. This is what she has to say about the passion play she is now releasing on the KKV label:

“Within the story of the life of Jesus and his resurrection seen through the eyes of Maria Magdalena lives the essence of my entire Christian faith. I can see myself in Maria Magdalena’s strong devotion which came as a surprise to many. Everything becomes both beautiful and personal and acquires more meaning when I dig deeper into the texts while the music transports me into the very holiest place of worship to later be sung out to the whole world.”

Some weeks ago a sample from the album was released, the single “Via Dolorosa”. This was the first melody Carola wrote for the new project when she was still in Betlehem completing her second Christmas album from the Church of the Nativity. Already then Carola and Erik started to talk about creating a passion play, and Erik believed that Carola could embrace the role of Maria Magdalena, who is one of the key characters in the Easter drama. Over the years Carola wrote additional melodies which she recorded on her phone while in airplanes, hotel rooms, anywhere the inspiration came to her. She sent them to Erik, and he wrote the lyrics as the project developed. The band, the choir, Carola’s voice and the other soloists participating were recorded in stages over the years, until all the tracks were finished in the autumn of 2024.

The plot extends the frame of the classical passion play, which ends with the crucifixion. In this play we follow Maria from when she anointed the feet of Jesus at Betania, through arrival in Jerusalem, the arrest, interrogations and resurrection right up to the Ascension of Christ. Maria Magdalena is the only person mentioned in all four gospels as a witness at the grave of Jesus after the resurrection. That a woman had such a role in the contemporary Jewish community dominated by men is completely unique, and she must have had a prominent position as leader of the movement that became the Christian church.

In addition to Carola, alias Maria Magdalena, and featured on most of the album’s 15 tracks, we meet Anders Wyller as Jesus, Grethe Svensen as the mother of Jesus, Jostein Hasselgård as the disciple John, Håkon Iversen as Peter and Knut Anders Sørum as Tomas the doubter. The chamber choir Arum with four singers led by Marian Lisland play various as disciples and crowd members.

The play has been recorded in Kulturkirken Jakob in stages with Atle Hallstensen and Kjetil Bjerkestrand as arrangers and pianists. The musicians are Hallgrim Bratberg (guitar), Gjermund Silset (bass), Anders Engen and Rune Arnesen (drums). The Aurum chamber choir from Trondheim is conducted by Eva Holm Foosnæs.

Via Dolorosa means “the road of pain”. It is the name of the path Jesus walked carrying the cross to Calvary.