Details
Music from the St John Passion, BWV 245, with a new text by Thomas Höft
Soprano: Susanne Elmark
Countertenor: Yosemeh Adjei
Tenor: Raphael Höhn
Baritone: Dietrich Henschel
Ārt House 17
Conductor: Michael Hell, harpsichord
What if J. S. Bach had not set the suffering of Christ to music but had instead taken the persecution of queer people as his subject? There was no chance of that happening because in the Europe of Bach’s day queer people were held in deep contempt. Fortunately, things are different now, which is why Thomas Höft, Ārt House 17 and an illustrious group of soloists are taking a fresh approach to Bach’s St John Passion, which will be performed with a completely new text. This is not to detract from the biblical story of the Passion, which plays no part whatsoever in this version, but to tell a quite different story of suffering.