Poems and music composed by Dr. DiVietri, the Cantata Carmelita is meant to be a reflection upon various types of unity and their binding agent, love. Love is considered not only as a desire for union with the good but also as the power, which above all others forms integrity within a person, binding him to others and God. This personal integrity, which results from the acquisition of virtues, enables a man to have self-possession. Only then is he free to give himself to the beloved and to God and to dedicate himself to those things which are considered to be noble and worthy of man's dignity.

 

The Cantata begins and ends with poems in which individuals speak to God about their love and desire to be united with Him. The first poem is about “a young man” who desires to be “like God” and attempts to stand alone against evil for the sake of the good. The second poem is about Teresa of Avila, a saint, who makes a similar stance, though not alone. These two are united by a common purpose: to stand against evil out of love for God and to encourage others to do so as well. To accomplish this goal, both decide to conform their entire lives to the will and love of God.

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