René Jacobs, B’Rock Orchestra and Zürcher Sing-Akademie—Bach’s St John Passion

Bach’s most dramatic Passion on instruments from his own era

Known for its drama and expressiveness, Bach’s St John Passion was first performed in 1724 at Good Friday Vespers at the St Nicholas Church in Leipzig. The work is compiled from recitatives, arias and choruses narrating the Passion of Christ as told in the Gospel of St John. St John Passion emphasises Christ’s divine origin—here is a Christ who remains sovereign even through the Crucifixion. The tenor Evangelist narrates the story, with soloists taking the roles of Jesus, Peter and Pilate, among others, and the chorus voicing soldiers, priests and the crowd. The result is a work of dramatic tension, lyricism and raw vitality—one of Bach’s most deeply moving masterworks, ending not in grief but in a quiet, joyful triumph.

René Jacobs has spent more than four decades immersed in Baroque and Classical vocal music, first as a countertenor, then as a conductor, scholar and teacher. His interpretations of Bach are rooted in historically informed performance and a keen ear for characterisation, giving each confrontation and lament a sharp presence. His recordings of the two passion settings by Bach in particular have drawn widespread critical acclaim, praised for their theatrical immediacy and attention to vocal detail.

The maestro conducts the B’Rock Orchestra, a Ghent-based ensemble whose players bring a bright, incisive sound to music of the 17th and 18th centuries on period instruments, and the Zürcher Sing-Akademie, a long-term collaborator with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich with a strong track record in performing large-scale choral repertoire. Together they bring Baroque clarity and colour to one of the most powerful works in the sacred vocal canon.

Advance Bookings will start at 10am on 7 October 2026