On Fri 29 Mar, the BBC Philharmonic delivers a spellbinding rendition of Bach’s St John Passion, a sublime and stirring musical retelling of the trial and crucifixion of Christ as imagined through first-hand narratives from Biblical figures at The Bridgewater Hall.
Billed as ‘an extraordinary act of worship’, St John Passion retells the capture, trial and crucifixion of Christ through the eyes of John the Baptist, alongside orchestral witness accounts of Peter, Pontius Pilate and Christ himself as well as the sonorous judgement of the frenzied crowd within an intense, dramatic musical setting.
The first of five passion settings created by Bach, and one of only two which remain, the divine, shimmering composition was originally written for the Good Friday Vespers service of 1724. Almost exactly 300 years later, Nicholas Kraemer recreates the heart-stoppingly imaginative piece with transcendent majesty at The Bridgewater Hall, backed by soaring vocals from the Manchester Chamber Choir.
Click here to book tickets.
Fri 29 Mar, 2pm, The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley St, Manchester, M2 3WS, £14.50-£29
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Mon 25 Mar 2024
