Portrait of the composer by Elias Gottlob Haussmann
Aficionados of Bach’s St John Passion are spoilt for choice this Good Friday. First up is the regular afternoon performance at St John’s Smith Square by Stephen Layton’s crack Polyphony choir with soloists from the rising generation of singers. Accompanying them are period instrument players of the Britten Sinfonia.
Almost at the same time, the Academy of Ancient Music is performing the piece at the Barbican. Stellar soloists include James Gilchrist, Cody Quattlebaum, Lydia Teuscher and Iestyn Davies.
Later in the evening, there’s a candlelight performance at St Martin-in-the-Fields, with professional choir St Martin’s Voices accompanied by the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields led by world renowned violinist Joshua Bell.
Also in the evening, crack singing group Elysian Singers and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are performing the piece at St James’s Piccadilly.
• St John’s Smith Square, Smith Square, SW1, 2.30pm, from £25, 020 7222 1061, www.sjss.org.uk
• Barbican, Silk Street, EC2, 3pm, from £10.50, 020 7638 8891, www.barbican.org.uk
• St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, WC2, 7.30pm, from £9, 020 7766 1100, www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org
• St James’s Piccadilly, 197 Piccadilly, W1, 7.30pm, £17.50/£10 con, 020 7734 4511, www.sjp.org.uk/evening-concerts.html
