Bach's Markus Passion

Two years ago, Bill Barclay brought his amazing production of Secret Byrd to St Mary’s, and it was the sensation of the festival. He returns with an extraordinary new project – the Markus Passion of JS Bach (Scottish Premiere).

Immediately after Bach’s death, his son Carl Philipp Emanuel delivered the score to the publisher. A century later, when Breitkopf sought to complete the first complete edition of Bach’s music, they discovered that they had only the libretto; the score was missing. For more than 150 years scholars have laboured to reconstruct the score, guessing that most of the music would have been borrowed from other works. The Trauer-Ode is believed to be the main source. Malcolm Bruno’s new edition includes three beautiful and virtually unknown arias along with a unique role for an Evangelist-Narrator. Concert Theatre Works has fashioned a theatrical presentation to recreate Bach’s long-lost vision.

"Stage reconstruction of Bach's lost St Mark Passion makes impressive premiere." New York Classical Review on the US premiere, June 2025

"An astonishingly gripping 90 minutes of music drama." *****The Times on the English premiere of Bach's Markus Passion at Aldeburgh Festival, June 2025.

"Joseph Marcell offered a compelling narration - one of the most perfectly paced, nuanced and dramatic deliveries of a biblical text I have heard." The Times

Bach St Markus Passion

Joseph Marcell Actor
Concert Theatre Works

Bill Barclay Director
Anna Dennis Soprano
James Hall Countertenor
Nicholas Mulroy Tenor
Matthew Brook Bass-baritone

Dunedin Consort
John Butt Director