Auckland Philharmonia - New Zealand

Conductor Stephen Layton, who performs this work annually in London where it has become an important part of the London musical calendar, returns to the APO to lead the orchestra in Bach’s oldest surviving Passion. Written in 1724 for a small group of instruments which originally included lute and viola da gamba, the work is admired for its pure and unadorned sound.

British tenor Nicholas Mulroy, who has recorded many of Bach’s works to rave reviews, features in the demanding role of the Evangelist. He has appeared on two acclaimed recordings of the St John Passion, including a recent one conducted by Stephen Layton.