Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | St John Passion, BWV245

The greatest music of the 18th century – no arguments, please – is given a fine reading at London's Barbican. 

Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie leads the Orchestra of St Luke’s in a superbly sung and played performance of Bach’s fiery and dramatic St John Passion. 

In its 300th anniversary year, Bach's St John Passion returns to the BBC Proms, with Masaaki Suzuki leading the Bach Collegium Japan. 

In celebration of the 300th anniversary of Bach's St John Passion, Masaaki Suzuki and Bach Collegium Japan gives a compelling performance of the lesser-known 1725 version of work.

Whether surrounded by lanterns and weapons, or musicians and fellow congregation members, one is deeply involved in this work.

Precise and contoured lamentation supported by thrilling chorus work at Kings Place

A moving St John Passion from the OAE, with direction shared between Margaret Faultless and tenor Mark Padmore.

This Evangelist had just come straight from Golgotha, where he had witnessed events so momentous he was compelled to recount them at once.

English imports and local forces made for a memorable St John Passion in Hobart this Easter week.

Challenging and vivid Bach in the first UK showing of Peter Sellars' staging of Bach's great liturgical masterpiece.

Harry Bicket leads Royal Northern Sinfonia and Chorus and a fine line-up of soloists in a performance that moves effortlessly between the human and eternal time lines of Bach's St John Passion.

The Oslo Philharmonic was left to tell the story due to some rather emotionless singing.

The Balthasar-Neumann-Chor and Ensemble performed a deeply moving, if slightly uneven, St John Passion, setting off the Oslo Church Music Festival.

A high-minded approach to Bach's masterpiece is undercut by an uneven performance.

In Milan, a timely reminder of the contemporary appeal of Bach's music. 

The Collegium Vocale Gent, in the hands of Philippe Herreweghe, came and conquered Madrid with a memorable performance of Bach's St John Passion.

Superlative vocal and instrumental soloists, led by Michael Schade as a vividly intense Evangelist, impress in Bach’s St John Passion at the Concertgebouw.

Bach's St John Passion thrills the audience at Valletta International Baroque Festival. 

A blazing performance by violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and a mildly disappointing Mozart Requiem round off New York’s annual Mostly Mozart Festival

Stephen Layton leads the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in a thrillingly dramatic account of Bach's masterpiece. 

From the insistent, driving opening to the sublime transcendence of the closing chorale, Norrington, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and James Gilchrist give us a St John Passion to remember.

Polyphony live up to their reputation, performing Bach's St John Passion with intensity and dynamism, in a performance only marred by some routine orchestral playing. 

On Good Friday, Cappella Amsterdam, conducted by Daniel Reuss, gave a beautifully refined rendition of Bach's St John Passion at the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century and the riveting Evangelist of Anders Dahlin.

Dale Duesing triumphs with a staged version of J.S. Bach's St John Passion performed by the Nationale Reisopera.

A deeply stirring interpretation of Bach's St John Passion from Pacific Musicworks in Seattle. 

Bach’s Passion according to St John the Evangelist is not an easy work. Whilst saying I am a “fan” of Bach is one of the greatest understatements possible, this Passion is nonetheless an intense work for any concert-goer (seasoned or amateur) including myself. Over two hours in length, it is a test on both the audience and, quite obviously, the performers.

I’ve had the great privilege and even greater joy over the last couple of months to have been totally immersed in Bach: I’ve been researching him, and particularly his Passions, since Christmas.

The motto of the Lammermuir Festival, now in its third year, is “beautiful music in beautiful places”. Few settings are more striking than St Mary’s Parish Church in Haddington.

They are sadly few in number, but some things in this St. John Passion I can report in mildly positive terms would include Stephen Layton’s hand-selected choir Polyphony, whose members dealt with Bach’s demanding vocal lines capably and sang in clear, idiomatic German; bass-baritone Neal Davies (a perfectly respectable if not overly engaging Christ); and Derek Welton’s robustly s

An outstanding lineup of soloists joined Bernard Labadie at Carnegie Hall Sunday for a performance of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion. Hearing Labadie conduct his own ensemble Les Violons du Roy and the chamber choir La Chapelle de Québec with such a superb group of soloists was truly a treat indeed.

A year after the first performance of his St John Passion, Bach made several significant alterations that divert the emphasis of the work away from Christ’s final triumph over death, focusing instead on human sinfulness.

For lovers of choral music, a Bach Passion or Handel’s Messiah are as much part of Easter as chocolate eggs, and this year’s musical treat at the Sage Gateshead was Bach’s St John Passion, played by Northern Sinfonia with debut guest conductor Matthew Hall.

I took my nephew, a vocal arts student, to see Bach's Passion According to St. John partially so he could experience Boston Symphony and partially to introduce him to choral music – which is some of my favorite. I hadn't been to Symphony Hall since my childhood and was glad to see nothing had changed. One has the sense that generations have passed through the hall in a continuous flow.

Vox Luminis und das Freiburger Barockorchester bewiesen in Salzburg mit der Johannes-Passion erneut ihre glückliche Partnerschaft.

Sous la direction à la fois incisive et accueillante de Raphaël Pichon, l'ensemble et le chœur livrent une interprétation exceptionnelle du monument de Bach, avec des solistes au sommet.

Vox Luminis y la Orquesta Barroca de Friburgo recrearon la *Pasión según san Juan* de Bach en una emocionante velada llena de grandes momentos.

C’est plus qu’un oratorio à écouter ou un ballet à admirer que nous offrent les artistes réunis pour l’occasion : il s’agit d’un véritable voyage ésotérique, entremêlant sensoriel et symbolique.

El Bach Collegium Japan recreó en el Palacio de Festivales la profundidad emocional y musical de la obra de Bach bajo la dirección de Masaaki Suzuki y el protagonismo de unos excelsos solistas. 

Mit viel Würde, Dezenz und Stimmenbravour zeigte sich bewährt und bewundert ganz überwiegend Positives im Konzert, doch leider litt es auch unter einer größeren Einschränkung.

Andrea Marcon, der international bekannte Spezialist für Alte Musik, deutet Bachs Leidensgeschichte nach Johannes, zusammen mit Barockorchester & Vokalensemble La Cetra, als aufwühlendes geistliches Drama. 

Ulrich Rasches Inszenierung folgt in jeder Sekunde dem musikalischen Geschehen der Partitur. Ob die Musik das nötig hat, ist eine andere Frage...

Theatralische, prägnante Ensembles und Solisten verhalfen der Aufführung zum großartigen Gelingen beim Debüt im Konzerthaus Dortmund.

L'Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment et Mark Padmore proposent au TCE une Passion selon saint Jean de Bach solide et ciselée mais par endroit trop contenue. 

Im nachvollziehbareren Lichte der Erzählungen bezeugten die Beifallsstürme des Publikums die große Sehnsucht nach dem baldigen Zurückkommen dieser insgesamt heiländischen Lebensveränderungen einer Bach-Trilogie.

Malgré d'excellents Talens Lyriques, cette Passion mise en scène par Calixto Bieito s'avère plutôt convenue et ne renouvelle guère l’approche de l’œuvre.

Menschlichkeit und Drama der Passion in der Lesart des Dirigenten sowie die Ausdrucksfülle von Chor und Solisten sind unschlagbar.

C’est à Saint-Roch, vaste nef de la capitale parisienne, que l'ensemble Vox Luminis et le Café Zimmermann ont entamé une tournée consacrée à la Passion selon saint Jean.

Sellars und Rattle schaffen einen Raum und Klang, der Bach mit seiner Deutung einer der bekanntesten Erzählungen der Welt lebendig werden lässt.

La Pasión es ante todo una narración, que en su arcana lejanía, desciende sobre los receptores y se hace presente para ellos. Se trata de una emotividad alejada del entusiasmo que a veces buscamos en las salas de concierto.