J. S. Bach wrote Passion settings for the gospels of Mark as well as for Matthew and John – two of the greatest artistic works of all time. Shortly after Bach’s death in 1750, his Markus Passion manuscript was hand-delivered by his son C.P.E. to his publisher, Johann Breitkopf, but was subsequently lost.
The new Markus edition by musicologist Malcolm Bruno is an ingenious reconstruction drawing on material from other works by Bach. Featuring four singers, 14 instrumentalists and a unique role for an actor as Evangelist.
This first-ever staged version tours to the UK and the west coast, but not before giving the shared world premiere in Pittsburgh (April 11), then on Palm Sunday at MB1800 in a milestone for early music. Featuring the iconic actor Joseph Marcell (Royal Shakespeare Company, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air).
‘…of the demand for this group, there can be little doubt.’
The New York Times, of The Sebastians
