Koor en Orkest Collegium Vocale Gent olv. Philippe Herreweghe

For many, our annual Easter appointment with Herreweghe and Bach is the highlight of the season. On the programme in 2018 is the ‘St John Passion’. This religious drama is imbued with an intense power thanks to its balanced contrasts. Captivating choruses, indignant arias and contemplative points of rest colour the text and conjure up wider horizons. Simple chorales offer a breathing space. At these moments not only does the choir sing, but our hearts beat alongside it. The music embraces all people, united in shared suffering. Bach explores the limits of what it means to be human, articulating his insight using all the options that are available to him in Western music in 1724. He thus transcends the narrow Lutheran context in a story of betrayal, torment and existential loneliness.