I’m extremely honoured to be singing the Arias (plus Pilate and Peter) in Bach’s St John Passion at Easter with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs at the Sydney Opera House — this following on from singing the Matthew arias last year, and other recent (and upcoming) projects with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

From the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs website

In an ideal world, says Brett Weymark, every Easter would bring a Bach passion, the B minor mass, or perhaps a Handel oratorio – a musical ‘feast’ in the calendar. And in 2026 that feast is Bach’s St John Passion, sung by the Symphony Chorus with our Baroque Orchestra performing on period instruments.

The St John Passion might have been written for a Lutheran Good Friday church service – a ‘sermon in sound’ – but Bach’s theatrical instincts found a perfect outlet in the rollercoaster of emotions in John’s account of the Easter story. There’s fury, betrayal, anguish, comfort – underpinned by a compelling humanity.

Leading the cast of soloists in this distinctive blend of narrative, drama and reflection is Evangelist Timothy Reynolds, a renowned Bach and Baroque interpreter with The Song Company, Pinchgut Opera and more. And our 120-voice Symphony Chorus will truly shine, bringing a fierce, and sometimes terrifying, intensity to the crowd scenes, and a powerful communal spirit to the meditative chorales.

Saturday 4 April – 1:30pm
(Easter Saturday)
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

PROGRAM

Johann Sebastian BACH St John Passion

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Penelope Mills soprano
Ashlyn Tymms mezzo-soprano
Louis Hurley tenor
Timothy Reynolds tenor (Evangelist)
Christopher Richardson baritone (Christ)
Andrew O’Connor bass-baritone (Pilate)

Symphony Chorus
Sydney Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra