il Pomo d’Oro Choir & Orchestra

With its unrivalled sense of drama, the St John Passion is sometimes called Bach’s only opera, in which the composer offers an inimitable retelling of Christ’s passion. The overwhelming opening chorus, Herr, unser Herrscher, immediately sets the tone, and the fierce interventions of the choir in the ​‘turbae’ – short, expressive scenes of agitation among the people – bring the Gospel vividly to life. This year, the acclaimed British bass Will Thomas takes on the role of Jesus and Thomas Hobbs, described as ​“one of the most fascinating Bach tenors,” plays the Evangelist. The young conductor Maxim Emelyanychev and il Pomo d’Oro present an invigorating reading of Bach’s haunting recitatives, devout chorales and expressive arias.