ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PHILIPPE HERREWEGHE
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750):
Cantatas
*’Ich glaube, lieber Herr, hilf mein Unglauben’ BWV109*
*’Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz’ BWV138*
*’Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis’ BWV21*
Dorothee Mields _soprano_
Alex Potter _contertenor_
Thomas Hobbs _tenor_
Peter Kooij _bass_
*Collegium Vocale Gent*
*Philippe Herreweghe*
Philippe Herreweghe, one of the leading interpreters of Bach of our time, rarely allows himself to be persuaded to conduct opera or music theatre. His musical interpretations aim directly at the essence of Bach’s scores. Over the years these have become progressively more introverted and have concentrated more and more on the essential. However, the conductor did not hesitate to agree when Johan Simons asked him to perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s music for his production of “Accattone” together with his world famous Collegium Vocale Gent. For the opening production of the Ruhrtriennale they have assembled an entirely new Passion out of arias, choruses and chorales from Bach’s various cantatas: a kind of “Accattone Passion”. The Collegium Vocale Gent under Herreweghe perform the cantatas from which these fragments originate in two concerts. The Jahrhunderthalle Bochum provides the ideal setting for Bach’s vocal music where the tension between material and spirit is central – between an earthly vale of tears and heavenly paradise.
Funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
A production by Ruhrtriennale and NTGent.