Bach: St. John Passion
Saturday, March 14, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Needham Great Hall, Needham
Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Sanders Theatre, Cambridge
Pre-Concert Lecture at 2:15 PM (Free for ticket holders)
The Program
Bach: St. John Passion
Noah Horn, Music Director
Bach’s St. John Passion is one of the most profound and emotionally gripping works in Western music. First performed on Good Friday in 1724, this dramatic oratorio sets the story of Christ’s crucifixion from the Gospel of John, blending intimate arias, turbulent choruses, and haunting chorales into a deeply human musical experience.
While the subject is sacred, the emotions are startlingly real—rage, sorrow, tenderness, and hope. From the anguished crowd scenes to the sorrowful beauty of the final chorus, Bach’s St. John Passion invites listeners into a vivid and deeply reflective journey.
Guest Soloists
Jonas Budris
— Evangelist
Tenor Jonas Budris is a versatile soloist and ensemble musician known for his work in both early music and contemporary repertoire. He has performed with ensembles including Cut Circle, the Handel and Haydn Society, Emmanuel Music, Blue Heron, and Yale Choral Artists.
A featured soloist on the GRAMMY-nominated recording It’s a Long Way (Skylark Vocal Ensemble), Budris is also an avid interpreter of J.S. Bach’s vocal music, performing regularly in Emmanuel Music’s weekly Bach cantata series. His festival appearances include the Blue Hill Bach Festival, the UMass Amherst Bach Festival, and the Carmel Bach Festival.
On the opera stage, Budris has performed with Pegasus Early Music, Opera Boston, OperaHub, Guerilla Opera, and Odyssey Opera, and has created roles in several contemporary operas. He holds a degree in Environmental Science & Engineering from Harvard College.
Junhan Choi
— Jesus
South Korean baritone Junhan Choi is praised by Musical America for his “impressive baritone” and “unusually powerful impact.” His 2025–26 season includes a return to Carnegie Hall as the baritone soloist in Fauré’s Requiem with the New England Symphonic Ensemble.
Choi has appeared as a soloist with organizations including the Boston Cecilia and the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra. On the operatic stage, he has performed roles with Union Avenue Opera and appeared with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras.
A former Jane and Steven Akin Emerging Artist with Boston Lyric Opera, he has performed in productions including Madama Butterfly, Eurydice, La Cenerentola, and La Bohème. Choi holds a Master’s degree and a Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory.
What’s Interesting About This Concert
Operatic Drama, Sacred Depth: Though written for church, the St. John Passion unfolds like a sacred opera. The Evangelist’s narration moves the story swiftly along, while the chorus shifts roles—becoming the crowd, the soldiers, and the conscience of the piece. It’s intensely dramatic, without ever stepping foot on a stage.
A Window Into Bach’s World: Bach composed the St. John Passion during his first year in Leipzig, making it his earliest surviving Passion setting. It’s rawer, more urgent, and more emotionally direct than the later St. Matthew Passion—a glimpse of Bach experimenting boldly with musical storytelling.
Music That Still Speaks: Nearly 300 years after its premiere, this music still feels alive. Its mix of choral power and solo intimacy gives space for personal reflection and communal reckoning—making it as resonant today as it was in 1724.
PRE-CONCERT LECTURE
Sanders Theatre
“Bach, Anti-Semitism, and the St. John Passion”
Led by Pamela Dellal
FREE for ticket holders.
Doors open 2:00 PM | Lecture 2:15–2:45 PM
Cantata Singers is sensitive to the anti-Semitic undertones in the text of the St. John Passion. Tom Hall, Music Director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, has written the following:
“People should understand that, from a Jewish perspective, the Passions have very strong emotional consequences. To ignore that fact is to put your head in the sand. Performers should be sensitive about these issues. Performances of the Bach Passions can be an occasion to understand the differences in perspective on this text and on this music, from Christian and Jewish points of view. Performances can be used to bring people together and to understand the history of anti-Semitism and to promote religious tolerance.”
We invite you to read further about how the text of the Passions are problematic for Jewish people.
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Approximately 2 hours. There will be an intermission.
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The concert on Saturday, March 14 is held in James Hugh Powers Hall, on the second floor of the Needham Town Hall, 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, 02492.
The concert on Sunday, March 15 is held in Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138.
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Needham: All seating is open seating, except for the first two rows reserved for Sponsors. The Hall doors open for seating at 6:45 pm, and the concert begins at 7:30.
Cambridge: Seating is reserved.
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Needham: There is limited handicapped parking available at/near Powers Hall. All other patrons are asked to park in the municipal lots on Dedham Avenue or Lincoln/Chestnut Street. There is no charge for evening parking in the municipal parking lots. Please DO NOT park in the Walgreens lot, since the store is open for business during concert hours.
Cambridge: The Broadway Garage is located at 7 Felton Street, between Broadway and Cambridge Streets. Patrons must tell the attendant that they are attending a Sanders Theatre event. They will receive a swipe ticket which they will use to get back into the garage after the show, and which they will use to exit. The distance is 0.2 miles or a 5 minute walk to Sanders Theatre.
More information can be found HERE.
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Needham: Powers Hall is a fully-accessible facility, and some handicapped parking is available.
Cambridge: Sanders Theatre is accessible on the floor level with ramps at both entrances to the Memorial Transept (lobby). The north entrance is off Kirkland Street and the south entrance is off Cambridge Street. Accessible seating in the Theatre is on the Orchestra level only, sold at all price levels based upon availability. There are elevators in the building that lead to restrooms in the basement; however, not to Mezzanine or Balcony seating. More information can be found HERE.
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Wear what makes you feel comfortable!