Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach

Since the middle of the 20th century, the Christmas Oratorio has become one of Bach’s most popular works in German speaking countries, performed both in concert and within religious ceremonies during the holiday season at the end of the year. Originally, the six parts were played between Christmas morning 1734 and Epiphany 1735 in the corresponding services at the Lutheran churches of St Thomas and St Nicholas in Leipzig. In the meantime it has become common, however, to present them all in a sequence, in our case the first three… 

Our production adds a completely new century and style to the concert repertoire of the Chorus of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, while also shedding a different light onto our period instrument orchestra Les Musiciens du Prince and chief conductor Gianluca Capuano.

Oratorio (cantates I to III)
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Texts from the Gospel according to Luke 2:6-20
Additional texts by Christian Friedrich Henrici, Johann Rist, Paul Gerhardt, Martin Luther and Christoph Runge
Premiere: Leipzig, St. Nicholas and St. Thomas churches, 25-27 december 1734

• Musical director: Gianluca Capuano
• Choirmaster: Stefano Visconti
• Soprano: Regula Mühlemann
• Alto: Anna Stephany
• Tenor: Daniel Behle
• Bass: Kartal Karagedik

Choir of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo
Musiciens du Prince Orchestra - Monaco