Matthäus Passion, Ton Koopman
The esteemed Dutch organist and conductor, Ton Koopman, takes to the stage at La Fenice Opera House for a rendition of Matthäus Passion, BWV 244, by Johann Sebastian Bach, a sacred oratorio that is better known in English simply as St Matthew Passion. Koopman conducts the superb La Fenice Orchestra with solo vocalists plus La Fenice's choir and a local children's choir known as Piccoli Cantori Veneziani.
Matthäus Passion is Bach's musical setting for two chapters drawn from the Gospel of St Matthew, as they are presented in the Lutheran Bible. It is one of the widely regarded highlights of not only baroque-era music but of all sacred choral music, as well. Arranged for two choirs, it is the second of two Passions known to have been composed by Bach – the other being his St John Passion – that have survived to this day. The date of its first performance is not known but it is likely to have been Good Friday – or someday close to it during Holy Week – in 1727 at St Thomas Church in Leipzig.
The St Matthew Passion tells the story of Jesus Christ in his final few days. The libretto for the music was provided by Picander, a pseudonym now known to be that of Christian Friedrich Henrici, an associate of Bach's. The singers take on various roles of the main characters over the fateful weekend when Christ was betrayed and brutally executed. These include Christ Himself, Judas and St Peter, of course, but also lesser-known people including soldiers, a slave girl and members of the high priesthood at the time.
In his work, Bach made extensive use of chorales and arias as a way to reflect the wider biblical story within the events being described in St Matthew's Gospel. At times, the story almost comes to a halt so these sections can provide a more modern theological context, that of Bach's Lutheran tradition, at any rate. This works because the chorale lyrics and melodies are drawn from the Lutheran hymn book. They would have been well known to the congregation in Leipzig when Matthäus Passion first appeared even though the composer's harmony lines were novel.
Ton Koopman won the Bach Prize of the City of Leipzig in 2006 and his work as a harpsichordist and organist covers everything from Baroque-era music to the Romantic period. Today, he is widely recognised as one of the world's leading authorities in the field of historical repertoire performances including, in particular, the work of Bach.
With two choirs, a wonderful auditorium and such a well-respected conductor, these concerts at Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice are sure to offer a profound listening experience.