Bach, St John Passion – Stage version

The St John Passion is an icon of Western music replete with drama and emotion. To celebrate the work’s 300th anniversary, choreographer Sasha Waltz, who is no stranger to choreographed operas, is staging a new version under the musical direction of Leonardo García Alarcón.

When Johann Sebastian Bach’s Passion first premiered in Leipzig in 1724, the composer’s revolutionary approach caused a sensation. An Evangelist narrates the story of Christ, while singers incarnate the most significant moments of his Passion and a choir interprets the chorales, embodying the crowd. Known for her radical aesthetic choices and powerful gestures, Sasha Waltz takes on this extraordinary music where fervour cohabits with an extraordinary theatricality to recount Christ’s final sufferings.

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach
St John Passion
stage version

New production of the Opéra de Dijon
Coproduction of Sasha Waltz & Guests, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
Set produced by the Opéra de Dijon’s workshops
Costumes by the Opéra de Dijon’s workshops and Manja Beneke

Artists

Ensemble Cappella Mediterranea
Chœur de chambre de Namur
Chœur de l’Opéra de Dijon
Sasha Waltz & Guests

Sasha Waltz, Staging and choreography
Bernd Skodzig, Costumes
Heike Schuppelius, Set
David Finn, Lighting

Sophie Junker, soprano
Georg Nigl, baritone – Pilate
Christian Immler, bass baritone – Jésus
Benno Schachtner, counter tenor
Valerio Contaldo, tenor – Evangelist
Mark Milhofer, tenor
Artists from the Chœur de chambre de Namur, Peter/Pilate/Pilate’s wife