St Matthew Passion

John Butt conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra, choirs and soloists

Composed nearly 300 years ago, Bach’s St Matthew Passion still leaves few listeners unmoved. Bach specialist John Butt conducts the immortal masterpiece.

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image: Anne Dokter
dates and tickets
The Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Passion performance is one of the longest-running concert traditions in the world.

Composed nearly 300 years ago, Bach’s St Matthew Passion still leaves few listeners unmoved. Bach specialist John Butt conducts the immortal masterpiece.

Save as favorite
The Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Passion performance is one of the longest-running concert traditions in the world.

Concert programme

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    St. Matthew Passion

Performers

  • John Butt

    conductor

    image: onbekend
  • Nicholas Mulroy

    tenor

    image: Raphaelle-Photography
  • Benjamin Appl

    bass

    image: Uwe Arens
  • Sophie Bevan

    soprano

    image: Sussie Ahlburg
  • Jess Dandy

    alto

    Jess Dandy
  • Hugo Hymas

    tenor

    image: onbekend
  • Stephan Loges

    bass

    image: Helena Cooke
  • Netherlands Radio Choir

    choir

    Groot Omroepkoor
  • Netherlands National Children's Choir

    choir

    Nationaal Kinderkoor image: Copyright 2014

Dates and tickets

About this concert

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, and more recently also with Passions by other composers. But the St Matthew is still number one in the Netherlands, having topped the favourites lists of classical music lovers for decades.  

Bach composed the Passion nearly 300 years ago in such an emotional and compelling way that it leaves few listeners unmoved. The British conductor, harpsichordist, organist and musicologist John Butt is one of the pre-eminent Bach specialists to emerge in recent years. It’s high time he came to share his vision of this immortal masterpiece with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.