Handel and Haydn Society's 2019-20 Season Will Continue With Bach's ST. MATTHEW PASSION

The Handel and Haydn Society will perform one of the greatest works in Western classical music, Bach's St. Matthew Passion, on Friday, April 3 and Sunday, April 5 at Boston's Symphony Hall. Under the direction of Artistic Director Harry Christophers, the H+H Orchestra, Chorus, and Youth Choruses will deliver a moving and spiritual musical experience.

Written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 and premiered in the U.S. by H+H in 1879, St. Matthew Passion is considered a sacred oratorio, capturing a wide range of emotions, from anguish to redemption and joy. Bach tells one of the world's pivotal supernal stories, capturing the intense drama and bringing it to life. Christophers last conducted H+H in a performance of St. Matthew Passion in March 2015, during H+H's Bicentennial season.

"St. Matthew Passion is one of Bach's most impassioned works, reflecting on a well-known drama central to Christian religion," said David Snead, president and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society. "Under the leadership of Harry Christophers, the H+H Orchestra and Chorus, as well as members of the H+H Youth Choruses, will bring this masterpiece alive, showcasing the intensity of the composition, one that is both powerful and somber. As we enter the Easter and Passover season, it's a performance that will resonate with many."

H+H will present this masterpiece on period instruments in a historically informed performance. Soloists will be tenor Joshua Ellicott, who made his debut with H+H in a performance of St. Matthew Passion in 2012; the award-winning bass-baritone Matthew Brook, considered one of finest singers of his generation; American soprano Joélle Harvey, who has performed with operas and orchestras across the world; Irish mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy who works at the highest levels across Europe and America; tenor Jeremy Budd, the former head chorister at St. Paul's Cathedral in London; and Swiss bass-baritone Stephan Macleod, who is making his H+H debut..

Tickets for individual performances may be purchased by calling 617.266.3605, visiting handelandhaydn.org or in person at 9 Harcourt Street in Boston (M-F 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.). Student and group discounts are also available.

Handel and Haydn Society's 2019-20 Remaining Season Performances include:

Beethoven + Mozart Feb 14 + 16, 2020 NEC's Jordan Hall

Haydn + Beethoven Feb 28 + March 1, 2020 NEC's Jordan Hall

Bach St. Matthew Passion April 3 + 5, 2020 Symphony Hall

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons May 1 + 3, 2020 Symphony Hall

Boston's Handel and Haydn Society is dedicated to performing Baroque and Classical music with a freshness, a vitality, and a creativity that inspires all ages. H+H has been captivating audiences for 205 consecutive seasons (the most of any performing arts organization in the United States). Today, H+H's Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners annually with a nine-week subscription series at Boston Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H supports seven youth choirs of singers in grades 2-12 and provides thousands of complimentary tickets to students and communities throughout Boston, ensuring the joy of music is accessible to all. H+H's numerous free community concerts include an annual commemoration of the original 1863 Emancipation Proclamation concert on December 31. The artistic director of the Handel and Haydn Society is Harry Christophers. Under Christophers's leadership, H+H has released 13 CDs on the Coro label and has toured nationally and internationally. In all these ways, H+H fulfills its mission to inspire the intellect, touch the heart, elevate the soul, and connect us with our shared humanity through transformative experiences with Baroque and Classical music.

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