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BACH ST JOHN PASSION IN THE ROUND at GIRTON COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY CHAMBER CHOIR and COLLEGIUM MUSICUM

Fri 8 March 2024

Girton College

Friday 8 March at 8pm
Great Hall, Girton College, Cambridge

BACH St John Passion, BWV 245

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY CHAMBER CHOIR
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLEGIUM MUSICUM
Members of the ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT experience scheme
MARGARET FAULTLESS violin/director
NICHOLAS MULROY tenor/director

There will be a pre-concert talk at 18.45 with Professor Bettina Varwig. See more information.

2024 marks the 300th anniversary of the first performance of Bach’s towering masterpiece, the St John Passion which debuted on Good Friday in 1724 in Leipzig. Still revered today, it remains among the composer’s most cherished works.

This powerful oratorio intertwines the agony of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples’ confusion, and the crowd’s tumultuous emotions, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in the drama through traditional German hymns. Bach’s St John Passion is a testament to his genius, infusing vivid narratives from the Gospel of John with arias, chorales, and expressive musicality. The work, originally structured to complement a sermon, captures the essence of Christ’s passion.

Renowned tenor Nicholas Mulroy, acclaimed for his portrayal of the celebrated Evangelist, leads a stellar ensemble, including talented student singers from the Cambridge University Chamber Choir. Professor Margaret Faultless, a distinguished violinist, leads a collaboration between members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment experience scheme, playing side-by-side with the Cambridge University Collegium Musicum.

This performance will be in the Great Hall at Girton College, Cambridge in an historically informed immersive experience. Performed in the round, the concert is designed to bring the audience into direct contact with the bodily enactment of this affective journey.

Can’t make it to this concert? There is another opportunity to see Bach’s masterpiece performed in a traditional concert setting at St John’s College on Thursday 7 March 2024!

Tickets at Girton College: Seating is unreserved.
£25 | Concessions: £22.50 | Cambridge University Students: £5

Cost: £25 | Concessions: £22.50 | Cambridge University Students: £5