# the controversial staging of Bach's Johannes-Passion



## Tarneem

I absolutely hate what Sir Rattle did to Bach's Johannes-Passion. I watched two minutes of it and immediately felt sick in my stomach.

Don't get me wrong. I highly admire the effort but (as I said) I absolutely hate the result

if it is not broken, DO NOT FIX IT!


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## Tarneem

God bless St Thomas Boys Choir, God bless the baton of Georg Christoph Biller


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## BBSVK

Tarneem said:


> I absolutely hate what Sir Rattle did to Bach's Johannes-Passion. I watched two minutes of it and immediately felt sick in my stomach.
> 
> Don't get me wrong. I highly admire the effort but (as I said) I absolutely hate the result
> 
> if it is not broken, DO NOT FIX IT!



Your title made me visit from opera thread. It looks like dancing Macarena :-D


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## prlj

Kudos to the singers for having the parts memorized. Also, kudos for the movement. (The average age of our orchestra's chorus is around 75, so that ain't happening here!)

I can't say I minded this too much, really.


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## hammeredklavier

videos of the full performance-


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## SanAntone

I found it more interesting than just another performance where the choir stands motionless and sings. They certainly seemed engaged, and probably were singing better as a consequence. The work is dramatic and is often done with some staging.

I don't see anything "controversial" - and there was nothing unusual about the Battle's interpretation.


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## Manxfeeder

Considering other instances of regietheater, I'm glad that at least they kept their clothes on.


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## Mister Meow

That was certainly different from the usual, and perhaps more dramatic than usual, but I liked it.


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## Rogerx

_Peter Sellars , / Rattle , enough said _


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## jegreenwood

I don't know that much about the Johannes Passion, but the Matthew Passion was well received in the U.S.

"Musical America, the venerable classical music publication, has announced its annual awards, which this year include a departure: the top award, usually musician of the year, has been renamed artist of the year. The winner, the publication announced on Tuesday, is Peter Sellars, the iconoclastic director whose biggest success this season was his inventive staging of Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” with the Berlin Philharmonic at the Park Avenue Armory, as part of Lincoln Center’s White Light Festival. But he is also known for his productions of works by John Adams, Mozart and Handel."

I do know a number of people, including a music teacher from Juilliard, who hated it.


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## Symbol

Manxfeeder said:


> Considering other instances of regietheater, I'm glad that at least they kept their clothes on.


I'm not quite sure where you get the idea from that everyone is naked in central European stagings of theatrical works, but never mind...

Personal opinion: I don't need such stagings of the Bach Passions, and I think it's a pity that Sir Simon didn't just simply perform the music without the theatrical elements. I don't care too much if Sellars or anyone else did the staging, it is just not needed for these works.


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