Christmas Oratorio live from St. Thomas Church

Accentus will be streaming Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Thomanerchor and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig from empty St. Thomas Church.

For many, the Christmas holiday season would be incomplete without the resounding drum roll and trumpet fanfare that opens Bach’s “Oratorium auf die Heilige Weynacht” (“Oratorio for the holy Christmas”). Ever since it was first performed by the Thomaskantor between Christmas Day in 1734 and Epiphany 1735 in Leipzig’s two main churches of St. Thomas and St. Nikolai, Bach’s six part musical mas-terpiece has become a cornerstone of the city’s identity and musical heritage.

In times of the Corona pandemic, Advent and Christmas concerts had to be cancelled across the globe. Still, many artists want to bring the spirit of Christmas to their audiences at home, which is why the Thomanerchor, the Gewandhausorchester and the outstanding group of soloists will go ahead and perform cantatas 1 -3 & 6 of the Christmas Oratorio in an empty St. Thomas Church on December 12, 2020, to be broadcast and streamed to audiences worldwide.

Co-producers and/or presale partners are still very welcome to join!

J. S. Bach
Weihnachtsoratorium / Christmas Oratorio
Cantatas I – III
BWV 248

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Thomanerchor Leipzig
Gotthold Schwarz, conductor
Mojca Erdmann, soprano
Elvira Bill, alto
Julian Prégardien, tenor (Evangelist)
Martin Lattke, tenor (arias)
Klaus Mertens, bass

December 12, 2020
St. Thomas Church Leipzig

A production of Accentus Music.
Directed for TV by Ute Feudel
Produced by Paul Smaczny

Production Company Accentus Music GmbH
TV Director Ute Feudel
Choir Thomanerchor Leipzig
Orchestra / Band Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Conductor Gotthold Schwarz
Composer Johann Sebastian Bach