'The St Matthew’s Passion' by Johann Sebastian Bach is an emotionally charged retelling of the Biblical, with the emphasis as much on the emotional toil the passion takes on Jesus and his follower as the spiritual salvation it provides.
It is fitting then that the English Touring Opera has created a production with a heavy focus on community, both within the story and the wider musical community in which they work.
The Stoller Hall is quite an intimate venue, panelled with pale pine wood which provides a welcoming atmosphere. The stage was lit with purple and lilac spotlights and simply decorated. Rather than the stage being arranged for the orchestra, the musicians carried their instruments with them as they walked on stage, causally preparing for the performance in front of the audience. The ETO has collaborated with local choirs at every date on this tour. Tonight, the chorale section was provided by The Chetham’s Chamber Choir and The Manchester Cathedral Choristers
This informality brought with it an energy to the music, as the musicians seemingly reacted to the events occurring around them. This gave the whole production an unusual atmosphere, as the musicians and singers acknowledged that we were watching a concert, yet also reacted to the biblical story as if it were really unfolding around them. The singers, dressed casually, walked around the small stage, greeting and smiling with the musicians. They crouched and sat on the steps of the stage as they awaited their next cue and watched the actions of their fellow performers. The familiarity and comradeship on stage added to the progeny as the drama moved to its inevitable conclusion.
A particular highlight of the evening was just after Peter, performed by the tenor Richard Dowling, had denied knowing Jesus. The first violinist stepped away from the rest of the orchestra and began playing the mournful music not at the audience but directly at Peter. Peter’s grief was brilliantly conveyed as the violinist seemed to both accuse him as well as offering him comfort. The sense of regret at what had happened was palpable
I did, however, find the narrative confusing to follow at times. Even though the story is taken directly from the most famous of Biblical tales, the decision for the production to share the part of The Evangelist among the other cast members helped further muddle my understanding of who was supposed to be who at anyone time.
No doubt someone more familiar with the music than I wouldn’t have this trouble, and I can certainly see how this choice helped foster the sense of community which gave the production so much emotional power. However, it wasn’t until the midpoint of part one that I was clear on who was playing Jesus.
The Passion was performed in the original German with the exception of the Chorale parts, which were sung in English. Two screens on either side of the stage displayed abridged translations of the German lyrics. The English translations, especially commissioned by ETO for this production, are by a wide range of contributors, Including the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowen Williams, the mathematician Marcus Du Sautoy, and the critic Samuel Hudson, among many others. The diversity of this group serves to highlights the universality of the story, as well as the music and form as a whole.
The ETO have crafted a production which refuses to allow Bach to be confined to the museum. Instead, they performed as the music as a living art from, rather than a nice cultural outlet. By treating the music as a something which still has much to offer the modern listener instead of a heritage piece, it brings an energy, innovations and even some flaws to make this ancient tale come to life.
Reviewer - Richard Gorick
on - 28/11/18
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