MasterVoices Invites Audience To Take Part In Performance Of St. John Passion

MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale), celebrating its 75th anniversary during the 2016-2017 season, presents St. John Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach on February 9, 2017 at 7pm at Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall (57th Street and 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019). The performance will be conducted by MasterVoices' Artistic Director Ted Sperling and will feature the MasterVoices chorus, soloists Michael Slattery, Jesse Blumberg, Adam Lau, Jennifer Zetlan, Tamara Mumford, Ben Bliss,and Daniel Okulitch,and New York Baroque Incorporated.

Sing along! MasterVoices invites the St. John Passion audience to take part in this modern-day English-language performance of Bach's masterpiece by singing along on the chorales. The sheet music for the chorales will be included with the playbill; and anyone who would like to practice in advance of the concert is welcome to access the music, as well as rehearsal recordings, at http://www.mastervoices.org/st-john-passion-sing-along/.

As an added benefit, all ticket holders for this concert are invited to rehearse the chorales with Artistic Director Ted Sperling on the evening before the concert. The rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, February 8, from 6-8pm at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan (405 W. 59th Street; entrance on 9th Avenue). This rehearsal is completely optional, and will be with piano only - no soloists or orchestra will be present.

Bach's magnificent choral masterpiece St. John Passion is considered by many to be more dramatic and expressive than his popular St. Matthew Passion. MasterVoices' presentation will feature its 150 voice chorus, an impressive cast of rising stars, and an ensemble of period instruments. To pay tribute to MasterVoices' founder Robert Shaw, who held the belief that the Passions should speak directly to audiences in English, and that these concerts should be communal experiences, the performance will be given in a modern-day English translation written by Michael Slattery (who will also sing the role of the Evangelist). MasterVoices invites all audience members to sing along with the chorales, and has made practice materials available in advance.

"In looking for a major choral work for MasterVoices to perform as part of its 75th Anniversary Season, I was drawn to the St. John Passion not only because of its vivid storytelling, but also because it has been a personal favorite of mine from the time I was a teenager. I wanted to perform the work in English, as its original audience would have understood every word, and I'd like ours to do the same. I look forward to inviting our audience to learn and join us in singing the chorales, filling Carnegie Hall with music from all directions." - Ted Sperling, Artistic Director

St. John Passion tickets ($20-$130) areon sale at Carnegie Hall (carnegiehall.org | CarnegieCharge 212-247-7800 | Box Office at 57th and Seventh). For more information, visit http://www.mastervoices.org/events/st-john-passion/.