Soli Deo Gloria

Bach "St. Matthew Passion" to join DVD series

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Filming of the St. Matthew Passion
at St. Denis Basilica, France

Johann Sebastian Bach
ST. MATTHEW PASSION, BWV 244

Werner Güra, Evangelist
Stephen Morscheck, Jesus
Lucy Crowe, soprano
Christine Rice, mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Phan, tenor
Matthew Brook, bass
Ensemble Orchestral de Paris
Maîtrise de Paris
Schola Cantorum of Oxford
John Nelson, conductor

FALL 2012 RELEASE: The next release in The Soli Deo Gloria Collection is J. S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244. For this project, SDG once again joined with leading production companies Idéale Audience and Medici.tv to film the performance in the majestic environs of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis, the renowned abbey church on the outskirts of Paris dating back to the 7th century. Conductor John Nelson, SDG’s Artistic Director, refers to the St. Matthew Passion as his “island piece,” regarding it as “the greatest of the greatest…the crème de la crème, the very high point of Western classical music.”

2012 Idéale Audience/Soli Deo Gloria

"I am happy and honoured that Idéale Audience can partner SDG in producing this magnificent series of great choral masterpieces conducted by John Nelson for DVD and television."
- Pierre-Olivier Bardet, President, Idéale Audience

The performance and filming of the St. Matthew Passion took place at the final concert of the 2011 St. Denis Festival, an annual classical music event that brings in the first-class musicians from all over the world for a month of exceptional concerts. As with previous SDG-sponsored productions, the concert was video broadcast worldwide on Medici’s state-of-the-art website.

"I have high hopes that this particular St Matthew Passion DVD, with its great cast of spectacular soloists, chorus and orchestra, will capture an inspired performance born of great experience and passionate conviction."
- John Nelson, conductor

"Our presence on DVD's of this caliber, along with our growing presence online, enables us to vastly expand our visibility to a world 'thirsty' for sacred music. It also allows us to share the vision and musical mission of this unique and extraordinary organization."
- Robert Sobel, SDG Board Member

Visit John Nelson’s blog for further reflections on the St. Matthew Passion DVD project.