Bach's Saint John Passion Tickets

The essentials

Quick Facts About Bach's Saint John Passion

• BWV 245, Passio secundūm Ioannem (St. John Passion), is Bach’s earliest surviving Passion and a cornerstone of his Leipzig period.
• First performed on Good Friday, 7 April 1724, in St. Nicholas Church, Leipzig.
• Text draws on the Gospel of John, with the Evangelist (tenor) narrating and various roles (Jesus, Pilate, etc.) sung by soloists; arias and chorales frame the narrative.
• Instrumentation typically includes SATB choir and soloists, two flutes, two oboes (doubling oboes d’amore and oboes da caccia), two viola d’amore, viola da gamba, lute, strings and continuo.
• Bach revised the work in subsequent years (1725 and later), e.g., replacing the opening chorus with 'O Mensch bewein dein Sünde groß' and adapting certain arias/choruses in later versions.
• 2025 performances spanned the US and Europe: Carnegie Hall (NYC) with Orchestra of St. Luke’s on Apr 10, Alice Tully Hall (NYC) with American Classical Orchestra on Jan 30, Saint Peter’s Church (Minneapolis? or local venue noted as Good Friday event on Apr 18), Köln Philharmonie (Cologne) on Apr 13, Lausanne Opera (Lausanne) on Apr 21, and Manchester Baroque (UK) on Apr 18.