About this concert
In the Netherlands, Bach’s St Matthew Passion has topped the favourites lists of classical music lovers for decades. Johann Sebastian Bach composed the Passion nearly 300 years ago in such an emotional and compelling way that it leaves few listeners unmoved. Now, for the first time, future chief conductor Klaus Mäkelä will share his interpretation of Bach's immortal masterpiece with you.
The Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Passion performance is one of the longest-running concert traditions in the world. In 1899, the orchestra’s then chief conductor Willem Mengelberg introduced the annual performance of Bach’s powerful St Matthew Passion around Easter. Later, the orchestra alternated the Passion story according to St Matthew with Bach’s equally brilliant St John Passion .
Bach composed the Passion in such an emotional and compelling way that it leaves few listeners unmoved.