The Misterio de Elche (), in English the Mystery Play of Elche or Elche Mystery Play and in Catalan Misteri d'Elx (), is a liturgical drama from the Middle Ages that reenacts the Dormition and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The two-act mystery play is performed annually on 14 and 15 August in the Basilica de Santa María in the city of Elche. In 2001, UNESCO declared it one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and, in 2008, inscribed it on its Representative List.
Origins
Two stories exist regarding the date of creation of the Misteri d'Elx. The older account, which placed its origin in the 13th century, was put forth by Cristobal Sanz in his history of the city written at the beginning of the 17th century. After confessing that he was unable to prove his history, he proposed that the earliest inhabitants of the city had celebrated it in 1276. He also adds another older story: after the conquest of the city by James I the Conqueror in 1265, the inhabitants of the city conceived the idea of a mystery play on the day the city was retaken from the Moors.
In 1717, José Antón, Attorney General of the Marquisate of Elche, also supported the theory and added a miraculous element: the arrival on the beaches of Elche of a mysterious ark in May 1266. The box contained the image of the Virgin of the Assumption that is today enshrined in the basilica and the Consueta, a document containing the script and occasionally the music of the play. This story was maintained in part to excuse a possible mistake of the composer, Óscar Esplá (1886–1976), who asserted that in 1924, he had been shown a letter of 1266 authorizing the play. This letter was allegedly preserved in the Municipal Archives of Elche, despite the fact that it has never been seen since or even cited. The work carried out by Esplá, and his importance as a composer, revived the theory of the play's origin in the 13th century.
Since the end of the 19th century when historians first arrived at Elche and studied the play, the date of its composition was given a terminus ante quem sometime around the turn of 15th century. At present, most scholars from multiple disciplines (literary, theatrical, musical, linguistics, iconographic, etc.) agree to it composition in the latter half of the 15th century, without emphasizing any precedents in existence in the city.
Scene
The play is performed within the Basilica, and the stage comprises several areas and devices:
The Heaven
The great linen, located at the height of the ring of the basilica's dome, fulfills the double function of representing the sky and concealing mechanisms that permit the ascent and descent of aerial stage devices. It is possibly as old as the current play, since older stage directions from as early as 1530 already seem to indicate its presence.
The linen acts as a divider between celestial and earthly actions, and possesses a peephole towards the choir called the "Door to Heaven". The Door is a square aperture that is opened and closed three times during the play in order to admit aerial stage devices.
La Magrana
This aerial device, called la magrana ("the pomegranate"), transports the first Angel who delivers the golden palm frond to Mary, and shows her the way to heaven. In its current form, the device dates the second half of the 16th century. Both its structure and its name are reminiscent of period mechanisms commonly used in Spain, such as boxes, globes, and armillary spheres.
Until recently, the term “pomegranate” was thought to be quite modern, with the term “cloud” considered to be more ancient and correct. This was thought to have been the result of the device's supposedly having changed in colour from an older blue to red. Modern research, however, suggests that the name was already used in the 16th century, possibly because the current, more compact and sturdy device replaced a less substantial structure made of cotton, paper, and fabric.
The Araceli
The Araceli is the second aerial device to appear, and enters the scene on two occasions. It is first used by five angels who fetch Mary's soul (in the form of a statuette) to Heaven; four of the angels sing as the central angel (often a priest) bears the Virgin's spirit. They appear to the Apostles, who organize a procession to bury her body. Its second appearance is in the great finale, where the fifth angel with Mary's soul is replaced by the full image of Mary. This image is taken into the ceiling and is crowned by the Holy Trinity at the halfway point of its ascension.