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The University of Wisconsin-Superior and College of St. Scholastica Music Departments will present two performances of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. John Passion.” The first will be on Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 PM at the Cathedral of Our Lady in Duluth, followed by a second performance on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Superior.
The UW-Superior Singers and Orchestra will be joined by student performers from The College of St. Scholastica Chamber Choir and String Orchestra for a powerful performance celebrating the 300th anniversary of Bach’s legendary piece.
“The Bach ‘St. John Passion’ is a musical telling of the Passion story of Jesus: his suffering and crucifixion,” said Michael Fuchs, D.M.A., UW-Superior director of choral activities, associate professor and chair of the Music Department. “It is approximately two hours and fifteen minutes long, including an intermission. There are huge variety of music styles, from large choral/orchestral movements to intimate arias for solo voice and instruments in addition to stunning four-part chorales. It is a piece that explores so many emotions of the human experience, and even though it is a sacred piece of music, it has tremendous musical and dramatic appeal for people from all backgrounds.”
The timing of the performance is especially meaningful.
“2024 is the 300th Anniversary of the ‘St. John Passion,’ and I have spent the past three years working on a book that was just recently published, ‘Bach’s St. John Passion for the 21st Century,’” said Fuchs. “As part of the writing and research, I knew that I wanted to do a performance of the ‘St. John Passion’ on the 300th anniversary of April 7, 2024.”
The performance will feature 35 singers and 25 orchestra members for the collaborative concert with both UWS and CSS hosting performances.
“The UWS and CSS orchestras did a wonderful and rewarding collaboration last spring, and that led to the idea of collaborating on both a choral and orchestral level for these performances,” said Fuchs. “Collaborations are so rewarding and fun, and this one has been such a joy already.”
Tickets, available at the door, are $5 for adults and free for students. Pilgrim Lutheran Church is located at 820 Belknap Street in Superior.
The College of St. Scholastica will host a performance of “St. John Passion,” on Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, 2801 E. 4th Street, in Duluth. Tickets are $7 with free admission for students pre-K to college and Sisters of the St. Scholastica Monastery. Cash and checks are no longer accepted for ticket purchases made at the door. Tickets can be purchased online.