Royal Choral Society – Bach: St John Passion – 6pm
Bach’s first great sacred masterpiece, the St John Passion, recounts Christ’s final days from the betrayal of Judas to the preparation for laying the body in the tomb.
The Royal Choral Society will perform this outstanding work in the original German, together with The Hanover Band – one of Britain’s finest period instrument orchestras, and an exceptional line up of soloists, all conducted by Richard Cooke.
Bach: St John Passion
Royal Choral Society
The Hanover Band
Conductor: Richard Cooke
NICHOLAS MULROY, tenor (Evangelist)
JIMMY HOLLIDAY, bass (Christus)
REBECCA LEA, soprano
ALEXANDER CHANCE, countertenor
JOSEPH DOODY, tenor
TRISTAN HAMBLETON, bass
The Royal Choral Society has been performing the choral masterpieces ever since its formation for the opening of the Royal Albert Hall in 1871, including the UK premières of Verdi’s Requiem in 1875, and Dvorak’s Stabat Mater in 1884, both concerts conducted by their composers. The St John Passion was first performed in the UK 150 years ago in 1872 under the baton of Royal Choral Society conductor Sir Joseph Barnby.
NB: please note 6.00pm start time
TICKETS
PREMIUM: £38 (reserved seat, interval drink, programme)
STANDARD: £25 (unreserved seating)
Upcoming Events
SSCS – Messa di Gloria – Giacomo Puccini – 6pm
SSCS is delighted to invite you to our Summer Concert 2026 on Sunday 5 July at 6pm, directed by Oliver Lallemant. The programme is Giacomo Puccini's Messa di Gloria and tickets are available here or on the door. You can download the flyer here. SSCS is always looking for even more members to be a part of our wonderfully fun and engaging choir. There's no audition; we welcome everyone. Email Olly for details admin@sloanesquarechoralsociety.com
Canticum – Gloria in Excelsis – 7.30pm
Canticum’s joyful summer concert focuses on Austrian sacred music of the 18th and 19th centuries, accompanied by two violins, cello, bass and chamber organ.
A work of the composer’s maturity, Haydn’s Little Organ Mass is remarkably succinct, while Mozart’s Missa Brevis in F is more festive and an astonishing achievement for an 18 year-old in its handling of motifs and counterpoint.
Canticum will also perform Mozart’s deeply moving Ave verum corpus, composed less than six monthsbefore his death.
Interspersed with these Classical masterpieces are five of Bruckner’s Motets. These beautiful a cappella choruses, composed over nearly a quarter of a century, hark back to Gregorian chant and Palestrina, the liturgical prince of the Counter-Reformation.
Crouch End Festival Chorus – Reimagined: Monteverdi to MacMillan – 7.30pm
Reimagined: Monteverdi to MacMillan
A captivating evening of sacred and reimagined choral works, blending Renaissance masters with modern voices. Featuring Crouch End Festival Chorus and the Ferio Saxophone Quartet.
David Temple MBE, Music Director of Crouch End Festival Chorus says
When I first heard the Ferio Saxophone Quartet perform last summer, I immediately got in touch and asked if they would like to work with CEFC and me. What is extraordinary is the amazing variety of musical colours produced by this excellent quartet.
This palette of colours works brilliantly for early music, as they could easily pass for cornetts and sackbuts - hence our collaboration performing works by Monteverdi and Schütz.
They are equally at home with contemporary works by James MacMillan, Roderick Williams and Sarah Rimkus. Our concert will be a delicious mixture of ‘reimagined’ works from Monteverdi to MacMillan.