Lahti Symphony Orchestra: Easter concert – St. John Passion

When Johann Sebastian Bach was appointed cantor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in 1723, his first major task was to compose a full-length work for choir and orchestra for the Easter Mass. The intention was to avoid operatic drama and emphasise the ecclesiastical message.

It was in these circumstances that the St John Passion was written, a two-hour account of the events of Easter that ranks alongside the most impressive stage dramas. In the St John Passion, the supernatural divinity of Jesus meets the brutality of the human characters with striking effects, which are contrasted with some of the most beautiful arias and choral scenes in the history of music.

In Lahti, the St John Passion will be performed by the Dominante Choir and an international quartet of vocal soloists. Making her Lahti debut will be the Swedish conductor Sofi Jeannin, principal conductor of Ars Nova Copenhagen and a leading figure in European choral music.