Britain's What's On Event Guide
Newcastle Bach Choir. J.S Bach St. John Passion
Charlotte La Thrope (soprano)
David Allsopp (alto)
Hugo Hymas (tenor)
Ben Kazez (baritone)
Andri Björn Róbertsson (bass-baritone)
Newcastle Baroque
Eric Cross (conductor)
For many years the Newcastle upon Tyne Bach Choir has included an all-Bach
concert each season, and would have performed the St John Passion in 2022, but
for the pandemic. The advantage of the delay is that our upcoming performance of
this magnificent work will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first performance on
Good Friday 1724.
Bach composed five Passion settings, though only two have survived complete. His
appointment in 1723 as Cantor at Leipzig involved providing cantatas for every
Sunday and feast day of the church year, but for Good Friday a full setting of the
Passion story was required, and these alternated between the two main Leipzig
churches, The St John Passion, which paints an immediate and highly expressive
picture of this dramatic story, had its premiere in the Nicolaikirche on 7 April 1724.
We know of three further performances of the St John Passion in Bach’s time. The
following year it was heard in the Thomaskirche, this time with several alterations,
and our performance will include a few of these rarely heard new pieces.
We have a fine line up of soloists. Hugo Hymas, a Durham University graduate and
now one of the foremost early music tenors, sings both the part of the Evangelist,
who narrates the events leading up to Christ’s death, and the tenor arias, while
young American Ben Kazez sings the part of Jesus and the baritone arias. Soprano
Charlotte La Thrope is another Durham music graduate; alto David Allsopp, a regular
soloist with the choir, was on stunning form in the Christmas Oratorio a couple of
years ago. Finally the casting also includes bass-baritone Andri Björn Róbertsson,
who joined us last November for Israel in Egypt.
David Allsopp (alto)
Hugo Hymas (tenor)
Ben Kazez (baritone)
Andri Björn Róbertsson (bass-baritone)
Newcastle Baroque
Eric Cross (conductor)
For many years the Newcastle upon Tyne Bach Choir has included an all-Bach
concert each season, and would have performed the St John Passion in 2022, but
for the pandemic. The advantage of the delay is that our upcoming performance of
this magnificent work will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its first performance on
Good Friday 1724.
Bach composed five Passion settings, though only two have survived complete. His
appointment in 1723 as Cantor at Leipzig involved providing cantatas for every
Sunday and feast day of the church year, but for Good Friday a full setting of the
Passion story was required, and these alternated between the two main Leipzig
churches, The St John Passion, which paints an immediate and highly expressive
picture of this dramatic story, had its premiere in the Nicolaikirche on 7 April 1724.
We know of three further performances of the St John Passion in Bach’s time. The
following year it was heard in the Thomaskirche, this time with several alterations,
and our performance will include a few of these rarely heard new pieces.
We have a fine line up of soloists. Hugo Hymas, a Durham University graduate and
now one of the foremost early music tenors, sings both the part of the Evangelist,
who narrates the events leading up to Christ’s death, and the tenor arias, while
young American Ben Kazez sings the part of Jesus and the baritone arias. Soprano
Charlotte La Thrope is another Durham music graduate; alto David Allsopp, a regular
soloist with the choir, was on stunning form in the Christmas Oratorio a couple of
years ago. Finally the casting also includes bass-baritone Andri Björn Róbertsson,
who joined us last November for Israel in Egypt.
Time: 7:30pm
Ticket prices:
Standard £20; students/unwaged £10; children free
Ticket prices:
Standard £20; students/unwaged £10; children free
King’s Hall, Armstrong Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 7RU
Sat 9 March
Website:
www.newcastleabachchoir.org.uk