Bach: Johannes-Passion - Opera Royal Chateau de Versailles (2024) [Blu-ray]

Marked by a profound dramatic and spiritual intensity, the St John Passion was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1724. Based on the Gospel according to St John, it recounts the last moments of Christ's life, from his arrest to his burial in the tomb. The Cantor's Passion is one of the most sublime works in his repertoire, drawing the listener into a mystical and contemplative reflection. Gaétan Jarry conducts the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal and the child singers of the Tölzer Knabenchor to restore this treasure of sacred music to its rightful place.

Of the two surviving Passions by Bach, the St John Passion was the first to be composed, and the Cantor reworked it several times for different performances between 1724 and 1747.

At St Thomas Church in Leipzig, Bach had a choir and instrumental ensemble seasoned enough to meet the virtuoso demands of the arias and choruses in this richly expressive Passion. He pushed rhetorical effects to their limits, highlighting both the dramatic and mournful qualities of the text. At the time, it was by far the most extensive of his compositions and remains a public favourite to this day for its extraordinary humanity.

Barely a year after his arrival in Leipzig, Bach offered this first great masterpiece for Good Friday in 1724. These exceptional evenings will mark the 300th anniversary of the première of this monumental work.