Bach im Theater: St. John Passion

Upending both the biblical story and Bach’s masterpiece

Fusing Baroque music and contemporary theatre, choral artist Patrick Chiu and choreographer Ivanhoe Lam audaciously recast J.S. Bach’s voice types and dramatic figures, where choristers and soloists engage in movement and action, bestowing the crucifixion story and Bach’s choral masterpiece with an entirely new character.

© Max Lee

Performers from Hong Kong, Germany, Japan and the USA hailing from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds — and dressed in everyday clothes — play the roles of Jesus Christ, Peter, Pontius Pilate and the Jewish people. No matter whether in musical treatment, movement and staging, this production peels off layers of history, catapulting Jesus Christ and Bach into the 21^st century: When all humanity is interlinked through politics, economics and technology, can we afford to be a spectator? How can anyone bear to live with irrevocable, fatal mistakes?

© Max Lee

In the role of Jesus, Reginald Mobley is one of today’s hottest countertenors, having been invited to perform at coronation ceremony of Charles III and the BBC Proms this year.

Breaking through conventional interpretations of Bach’s music, a preview of this production at Thüringen Bachwochen in the composer’s home country last year received rave reviews.