Organization

Singer

Tenor

Vincent Lièvre-Picard

Evangelist

Conductor

Denis Comtet

Soprano

Eugénie Lefebvre

Bass

Thomas Van Essen

Pilate

Matthieu Chapuis

Matthieu Heim

Mezzo-soprano

Laura Müller

Contralto

Le Concert d'Astrée

Others

Chœur du Concert d'Astrée

Orchestra

Ensemble Hémiolia

La Passion selon Saint-Jean

Béthune

France

Eglise Saint-Vaast

Maubeuge

Eglise Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul

Calais

Eglise Notre-Dame

Johannes-Passion Bach,JS

Public

St John Passion

Approved

The Hemiolia ensemble and the choir of the Concert d'Astrée, under the direction of Denis Comtet, join forces for a magnificent production based on the majestic St. John Passion by Jean-Sébastien Bach. 

Performed for the first time on Good Friday in 1724 in Leipzig, the work is part of a very ancient tradition which consisted in setting to music the biblical text of the last days of Christ's life, during Holy Week. After the Lutheran Reformation, the translation of the Bible into the vernacular made the story accessible to as many people as possible. In this line, Bach, himself a Lutheran, made a commitment when he arrived in Leipzig, to provide music “that inspires listeners to piety”. Probably influenced by the Italian opera of the time, he then composed a rich score where the alternation of recitatives, arias and choruses underlines the dramatic intensity of the biblical story. 

Inspired by a millennial religious fervor, music and text mingle in a whole where the text becomes penetrating to the extent of the deployment of the rich palette of colors and vocal and orchestral textures. From the first to the last note, from the arrest of Jesus to his death, the drama is embodied in a veritable liturgical opera, at the height of the oratorio genre.

English

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Ensemble