FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chorus pro Musica, led by Music Director Jeffrey Rink, presents the St. John Passion of Johann Sebastian Bach on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 8 pm at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston (opposite the Park St MBTA station). Presented during Lent, two weeks before Good Friday, the concert will include an orchestra of authentic period instruments.
The first of Bach's two surviving Passion settings, the St. John Passion tells the story of Jesus's arrest, crucifixion and burial with remarkable immediacy and power. The work includes ferocious crowd scenes and some of the most difficult -- and expressive -- arias Bach ever wrote.
The orchestra is an integral part of the drama from the majestic opening chorus, which is haunted by powerful dissonances between two oboes over churning strings. Bach masterfully wrote for the unique sonorities of instruments such as the lute, viola d'amore, viola da gamba, and oboe da caccia, all of which will be heard in the March 23 performance.
Soloists include tenor Mark Sprinkle as the Evangelist, baritone Aaron Engebreth as Jesus, baritone Mark McSweeney as Pilate, as well as soprano Jessica Cooper, mezzo-soprano Thea Lobo, and tenor Ryan Turner.
The concert is reserved seating. Tickets may be purchased for $25, $35 or $45, with discounts available for seniors, students, WGBH members and parties of 6 or more. Tickets may be obtained and seats selected online at www.choruspromusica.org or by calling 800-658-4276 at any time. For wheelchair-accessible seats, call 617-267-7442.
Now in its 58th season, Chorus pro Musica is a distinguished, independent Boston-based chorus, recognized for versatility and excellence in performing traditional, adventurous and seldom-heard works. The Chorus was founded in 1949 by the late Alfred Nash Patterson and has built a superb reputation for professional-level musical standards and innovative programming. This year, Chorus pro Musica was one of 45 cultural, environmental, and human service organizations profiled as "examples of excellence" in the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Jeffrey Rink, now in his 17th year as Music Director, is the 2005 recipient of the Jacopo Peri Award of the New England Opera Club for outstanding contributions in the art of opera.
The final concert of the 2006-2007 season will be a concert opera performance on Sunday, June 3, 2007, of Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggiero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, featuring Michael Hayes, Jason Stearns, Maryann Mootos, Philip Candilis, and Joshua Benaim, at NEC's Jordan Hall.
See the Chorus pro Musica online press kit at: http://www.choruspromusica.org/press.html
For more information or interview requests, please contact: Toni Ballard / 508-633-8583 / toniballard@townisp.com