(c) Thomas Koy, Matthias Heyde Bach's St. Matthew Passion
Seville, Teatro de la Maestranza — Sala Principal
About the Event
Immerse yourself in the profound musical experience of The Passion According to Saint Matthew, a masterpiece that transcends time through its haunting liturgical narrative and powerful melodies.
The good citizens of Leipzig who attended the premiere of Johann Sebastian Bach’s *St. Matthew Passion* 300 years ago were not going to a concert. They were participating in the Good Friday services of 1727 at St. Thomas Church, where the composer was working tirelessly to fulfill his duties as cantor. Divided into two parts by the sermon, the work far exceeded the scope and impact of similar contemporary works. Not only in terms of duration and complexity: with this account of the Passion, Bach opened up new perspectives, infusing the conventions of religious music with theatricality and a sense of drama.
When it comes to striking the right balance between theater and devotion, it is hard to imagine better performers than the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin. Few ensembles are so attuned to the substance and form of this masterpiece despite the enormous scale of the oratorio, they know how to find the contemplation and intimacy to which Bach invites us. Their vision, honed over decades, is fresh, expressive, and virtuosic, capable of conveying the novelty that audiences three centuries ago may have sensed, even if they were unable to explain it.
Program
- Johann Sebastian Bach – St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244
Cast / Production
Musical director: Justin Doyle
RIAS Kammerchor Berlin
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Nuría Rial
Mezzo: Anna Lucia Richter
Evangelist: Guy Cutting
Tenor: Kangyoon Shine Lee
Christus: Martin Häßler
Bass: Konstantin Krimmel
Address
Teatro de la Maestranza, Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, 22, Seville, Spain — Google Maps
