Lluís Llach Grande was born in Girona on May 7, 1948.
He is arguably the most illustrious son of the town of Verges. While one could write many lines, even pages, about Lluís, that is not the purpose here. There are many interesting and comprehensive websites about his life as a singer. Here, the focus is solely on his involvement in the Verges Procession. From a young age, Llach participated in the Procession (whenever his schedule allowed), singing in the Stabat Mater choir.
In 2009, Lluís Llach became the director of the Procession. Llach’s intention was to adapt and renew the Procession for the 21st century without it losing its traditional essence.
The main changes introduced to the performance in the main square (Plaça Major) include projecting images onto the walls of the square to help the audience understand what the Procession was like four centuries ago. Musically, fragments of the Agnus Dei have been introduced in scenes where Jesus has a prominent role, while fragments of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 have been added to scenes where Jesus’s role is less central.
Scenographic changes have also been introduced to the Pontius Pilate and the Crucifixion scenes, and some costumes have been updated.
Regarding the Procession through the streets, the main innovation has been the placement of powerful filters on the streetlights along the route to intensify the light from the torches carried by some members of the Dance of Death. The Dance of Death itself has been kept intact to preserve it as it has been performed since medieval times.
To implement all these changes, Llach collaborated with theatrical director Lluís Danés, lighting director Joan Teixidor, and fashion designer Kenneth Perdigon, all of whom are good friends and trusted colleagues of Lluís.
