Johannes-Passion

Zurich Opera House

"The greatest artwork the world has ever seen" - at least that's what the head of the Berlin Sing-Akademie, Carl Friedrich Zelter, thought in 1811, over 60 years after Bach's death, about his Mass in B minor. But even without this superlative, it is the work of the master that is still the most frequently performed worldwide and is even said to make die-hard atheists contemplate. It is considered the peak of Bach's work and is the last major work that he was able to complete shortly before his death. For the Dresden Chamber Choir and Hans-Christoph Rademann, it is also a summit in a way, as the choir, together with the Dresden Philharmonic, will perform it as the highlight of its 40th anniversary year.

EPSG:4326

Bach B Minor Mass

Palace of Culture

Since 2016, the Gaechinger Cantorey has captivated audiences as Bach ambassadors with their own unique "Stuttgart Bach style," which the baroque orchestra and choir enjoy presenting far beyond the country's borders. The acoustics of the baroque pilaster church of St. Catherine in Wolfegg are tailor-made for Bach: His appointment to Leipzig's St. Thomas Church enabled the composer, for the first time, to devote himself entirely to "regulated church music in the glory of God." Sunday after Sunday, his sacred works were now heard in the three churches assigned to him as St. Thomas Cantor. Even though he occasionally took on existing works, posterity is amazed at the workload he managed each week. Added to this is his original, creative output, as well as the fact that he also organized the practical implementation, from writing the parts to rehearsals and performances. Together with four vocal soloists, the Gaechinger Cantorey performs three cantatas, which in turn accompany the readings of the Good Samaritan, the healing of lepers and the Archangel Michael.

Gaechinger Chantory

St. Katharina

Music and all those who make music thrive on interaction with their audiences. This often happens non-verbally, in the atmosphere of concerts. We sense it when such a concert is particularly exciting, thrilling, or touching.

11th Symphony Concert

St. Michaelis - Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hof - St. Michaelis

The annual Passion Concert is a cherished tradition. Bach, like no other, expresses the essence of the Passion story through his music. The St John Passion is often referred to as his only opera, showcasing his unparalleled sense of theatricality in dramatic scenes, evident from the captivating opening chorus, Herr, unser Herrscher. This year, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra collaborates with conductor Daniel Reuss and Cappella Amsterdam, European leaders in their genre. Together, they present the powerful and inspiring Messiah story from John, featuring two of the world's finest vocalists: German tenor Werner Güra as the evangelist and Peter Harvey in the role of Christ.

St John Passion by Bach

Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

Queen Elisabeth Hall

In his collection of essays, Stefan Zweig describes the effects of fateful decisions that influence the whole of history. One of these great moments for him is the creation of Georg Friedrich Handel's "Messiah". Not only because the premiere in Dublin in April 1742 was a tremendous success, but because Handel experienced "his own resurrection" through working on this work. Illness and failure determined his life, but then he found his way back to music by adapting the Bible words of Charles Jennens. He composed "Messiah" in just three weeks - it was to be Handel's greatest success and is still one of the most frequently performed works at Christmas time, even though it was intended for Holy Week. But in "Messiah", all Christian festivals coincide due to the selection of texts from the Old and New Testaments, and so a performance in February is a welcome opportunity to hear this "great moment" of music.

Skyscrapers

Museum Ludwig

Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, premiered in Frankfurt in 1937, is a work that still works. It is music for mundane medieval texts, quite juicy in places: the carnal relationships are not hidden. Translations of the songs, which are mostly in Latin, were handed out before the premiere, and the young people must have been somewhat embarrassed. Orff's music is effective because he has both a sense of melody and rhythm with the use of percussion, which Orff often used. It was during the Nazi rule that Carmina Burana was premiered, and the critics did not quite agree: the focus on rhythm was considered "primitive", the lyrics were daring, but the work was also popular and accepted in its time. Orff's own relationship with the regime has since been discussed. He himself was most interested in getting his music out. Carmina Burana is an effective example of that.

Matthias Winckhler

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 20, 2026

Ivor Bolton · Teatro Comunale di Bologna

Past events

Mar 24, 2026

Johannes-Passion · Opernhaus Zürich

Oct 3, 2025

Bach B Minor Mass · Dresdner Philharmonie

Future and recently performed repertoire

Singer in Mass in B minor by Bach

Hofer Symphoniker

Singer in The Creation (Die Schöpfung) by Haydn

Teatro Comunale di Bologna

Singer in St John Passion by Bach

Antwerp Symphony Orchestra

Singer in The Messiah by Handel

Kölner Philharmonie

Singer in St. John Passion BWV 245 by Bach

Opernhaus Zürich

About

Matthias Winckhler hasn't added a bio