Johannes-Passion
Johann Sebastian Bach
One of the great landmarks of religious repertoire, the St John Passion is full of towering emotions.
Dates
Rowan Pierce | soprano
Henriette Gödde | alto
Patrick Grahl | tenor (The Evangelist)
Tobias Berndt | bass (Jesus)
Markus Eiche | bass (Pilate)
Kammerorchester Basel
Hans-Christoph Rademann | direction Gaechinger Cantorey
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Sung in German, with French/English surtitles
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Approx. running time : 2h30
About
Setting the last days of Christ to music is a tradition dating back to the early days of Christianity. The genre developed very little until the fourteenth century; it established its credentials with the Lutheran reform by insisting that the text be sung in German so that all could understand it, and under the influence of Italian opera by developing a richer polyphonic form. The St John Passion was the first work on this huge scale to be written for Leipzig, where Bach had settled. What makes this grandiose composition so striking are the beautiful arias for soloists and the choral writing alike.
Production Théâtre des Champs-Élysées