ConcertPulse
Concertgebouw Orchestra: Bach's St Matthew Passion
Het Concertgebouw, Main Hall (Amsterdam)
The week before Easter wouldn’t be complete without Bach’s always overwhelming St Matthew Passion, which for decades has been one of the most popular works among classical music lovers in the Netherlands. Bach composed the Passion nearly 300 years ago in such an emotional, compelling way that it leaves few listeners unmoved.The Concertgebouw Orchestra first performed the work in January 1891, and eight years later, the annual Passion tradition was officially established. This year’s Passion performance features Riccardo Minasi, one of the most interesting conductors to rise to fame in recent years, and a specialist in eighteenth-century music. Originally scheduled for 2020, his first appearance with the Concertgebouw Orchestra was postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s high time he came to share his vision of Bach’s immortal masterpiece with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.
