Johannes Passion

One of the most inspiring directors of his generation, Calixto Bieito, gives a new and disturbing insight on St John Passion: “biblical texts are inclusive enough to be interpreted nonliterally. They reflect our desires, frustrations, fantasies and, most of all, they express our profound need to believe, in both the simplest and most complex sense of the term. (…) Bach’s music offers a great opportunity to tackle the difficulty of our existences as well as the opacity of a system that oppresses its people. With Bach, we rediscover the fragility beauty and cruelty of our times”.

Right from the start, Calixto Bieito brought amateur singers together to form the choir which is at the heart of the narrative: “In Bilbao, choral singing is a genuine tradition that goes back more than two centuries. (…) It was natural for me to make the choir the center of this secular, pagan and spiritual liturgy”. “Presenting the performance in Paris will be very special, I can’t wait to be there!” declared the most fascinating director of his generation.

Co-production Teatro Arriaga de Bilbao, Théâtre du Châtelet