CHORAL MUSIC / Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
Sydney Philharmonia Choirs present:
St. John Passion Re-imagined
The Concourse, Chatswood
Last year 2020, SPC's centenary, just as the choir entered the final weeks of rehearsal for Bach’s St John Passion,
gatherings of 500 or more people were cancelled due to Covid-19. Now, after so many months of uncertainty, Sydney Philharmonia choirs are delighted to announce the return of our much-loved tradition of Easter concerts.
The Chamber Singers are joining forces with a period-instrument orchestra for an exciting and stylish performance of Bach’s St John Passion in the Concert Hall of The Concourse at Chatswood. Of course, masks and Covid-safety conditions are new, but otherwise the concert will be everything hoped and planned for. The past year has proved that musicians are survivors – finding ways to connect, to make music and to respond to changes no one could have predicted.
In the space of two hours, Bach draws on the theatrical conventions of opera to reveal the immediacy and humanity of John’s “eyewitness” Gospel account. And at the heart of the drama is the chorus – bringing a fierce, almost visceral realism to the crowd scenes and irresistibly drawing us into a spirit of contemplation in the chorales.
It’s a sign of great music that it survives change – new contexts, new trends, new audiences. No longer do you need to sit for hours in a Lutheran pew on Good Friday in order to hear one of Bach’s mighty “sermons in sound”. The dramatic power of his St John Passion – a vivid enactment of the Easter story – has transcended its church origins to speak a universal, musical message that combines storytelling and meditation.
And so, for this “re-imagined” performance of Bach’s St John Passion Sydney Philharmonia have commissioned two brief “reflections” that will comment on questions posed by this great work. In many ways, this will be the St John Passion as we have always heard it – turbulent and majestic, anguished and comforting, furious and serene – but with a 21st-century perspective to inspire new contemplation.
Photo Credit: Keith Saunders
The program will run for approximately 2.5 hours plus a 20 minute interval.
Saturday 3rd April, 1pm & 7pm
The Concourse, Chatswood
PROGRAM
Deborah CHEETHAM & Matthew DOYLE Tarimi nulay – long time living here†
Johann Sebastian BACH St John Passion
Joe TWIST Heaven, Tear Apart (Himmel Reisse)*†
Brooke SHELLEY Ein Bachlein im Bach*†
* Premiere
† Commissioned as part of our 100 Minutes of New Australian Music
centenary project in 2020. We’re delighted to be performing them in our
2021 season.
ARTISTS
Elizabeth Scott conductor
Richard Butler Evangelist
Andrew O’Connor Christus
Celeste Lazarenko soprano
Sian Sharp mezzo
Nicholas Jones tenor
David Greco bass
Chamber Singers
Sydney Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
Sydney Philharmonia Choirs dedicates this performance to the memory of dear friend and artistic colleague Taryn Fiebig (1972-2021).
BOOK NOW
- Choirs's St John Passion resurrected just in time for Easter. A 2-minute read review by Steve Moffat. The Daily Telegraph (Wentworth Courier). There was more than one resurrection when Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
performed a “reimagined” St John Passion at a long-anticipated concert
in Chatswood’s Concourse theatre. Accessed April 5, 2021.
- ST JOHN PASSION REIMAGINED. "Deborah Cheetham’s welcome to country marks a new dawn for Bach" ★★★. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, The Concourse, Chatswood, April 3. Reviewed by Peter Mccallum, April 4, 2021. Accessed April 4, 2021.
- St John Passion Reimagined (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs). ★★★★1/2. Reviewed by Steve Moffat, Limelight Magazine. April 5, 2021. "Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' lost season is resurrected by the power of Passion.
- SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS : ST JOHN PASSION REIMAGINED : TRANSCENDANT. Reviewed by Geoffrey Sykes. Sydney Arts Guide. Accessed April 6, 2021.
Bach - St John Passion BWV 245 - Van Veldhoven | Netherlands Bach Society.
Netherlands Bach Society. Jos van Veldhoven, conductor. Soloists: Raphael Höhn, evangelist (tenor). Myriam Arbouz, soprano. Maria Valdmaa (Maid), soprano. Daniël Elgersma, alto. Marine Fribourg, alto. Gwilym Bowen, tenor. Guy Cutting (Servant), tenor. Felix Schwandtke (Jesus), bass. Drew Santini (Peter), bass. Angus Mc Phee (Pilate), bass. YouTube, accessed 20 March 2021.- Johann Sebastian Bach's St. John's Passion. Inspired Pen Web.
- St John Passion. Encyclopedia Wikipedia Org.
Resources:
- JS Bach's St John Passion Reimagined. Sydney.com. Accessed 15 March 2021.
- Sydney Philharmonia Choirs: St John Passion Re-imagined. Limelight. Accessed 18 March 2021.
- St John Passion Reimagined Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. (Available at this posting). Accessed 10 March 2021.
- Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Presents J S Bach's St John Passion Reimagined on Easter Sunday. Broadway World. Accessed 15 March 2021.
- St John Passion Digitally Reimagined by Sydney Philharmonia. Stage Whispers. Accessed 15 March 2021.
- St John Passion Reimagined - Chatswood. Hope 1032 / Hope103.2.com.au. Accessed 15 March 2021.
- St John Passion Re-imagined tickets. Premiere Ticketek. (Available at this posting). Accessed 15 March 2021.
IMPORTANT COVID-19 SAFETY INFORMATION
(Note from Sydney Philharmonia Choirs)
- Audience members over the age of 12 are required to wear masks. This is a condition of entry.
- We will be limiting the number of people in the Cathedral in accordance with current Public Health Orders and ensuring appropriate physical distancing at all times.
- Hand sanitiser will be available.
- To minimise unnecessary contact, we will be distributing a digital program book, available in advance.
