J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion
Join the Cathedral Choir and Baroque Orchestra for St. Matthew Passion, among the greatest masterpieces of the sacred concert canon. Conducted by Canon Michael McCarthy.
Available in-person or via pay-what-you-wish livestream.
featured soloists
Rufus Müller
The British-German tenor Rufus Müller was acclaimed by The New York Times following a performance in Carnegie Hall as “… easily the best tenor I have heard in a live Messiah.” He is celebrated as the Evangelist in Bach’s Passions, his unique dramatic interpretation of this role confirming his status as one of the world’s most sought-after performers (The New York Times described him as “a sensational Evangelist”). Rufus is also a leading recitalist, performing worldwide with pianist Maria João Pires, notably in an extended Schubertiade in the Wigmore Hall, and on tour in Spain, Germany, and Japan with Schubert’s Winterreise.
The last two seasons included Bach’s Passions and Handel’s Messiah in New York, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Carmel Bach Festival, The Royal Albert Hall, and Canterbury Cathedral; Haydn’s Creation in London; Schubert’s Winterreise in Bard’s Fisher Center and Boston; Handel’s Ode to St. Cecilia in Boston; eighteenth-century Shakespeare settings with period ensemble Repast in New York; Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien on tour in Canada; as well as recitals and masterclasses in Japan, Germany and the United States. Rufus is also the featured singer in BBC Radio’s series Tales from the Stave discussing the original Winterreise manuscript in New York’s Morgan Library. Rufus is Associate Professor of Music at Bard College, New York.
Kevin Deas
Kevin Deas has gained international renown as one of America’s leading bass-baritones. He is perhaps most acclaimed for his signature portrayal of the title role in Porgy and Bess, having performed it with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, as well as the most illustrious orchestras on the North American continent, and at the Ravinia, Vail, and Saratoga festivals.
Kevin Deas’ recent appearances include performances of Mozart’s Requiem with Toronto Symphony and North Carolina Symphony, Haydn’s The Creation with Minnesota Orchestra, Bernstein’s SongFest with Seattle Symphony, Verdi Requiem with Bach Festival Society of Winter Park and Rhode Island Philharmonic, and Handel’s Messiah with Washington National Cathedral, Handel & Haydn Society, and ProMusica Columbus. Other notable performances includes Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette with Cathedral Choral Society in Washington, D.C.
A strong proponent of contemporary music, Kevin Deas was heard at Italy’s Spoleto Festival in a new production of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors in honor of the composer’s eighty-fifth birthday, recorded on video for international release. He also performed the world premieres of Derek Bermel’s The Good Life with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Hannibal Lokumbe’s Dear Mrs. Parks with the Detroit Symphony. His twenty-year collaboration with the late jazz legend Dave Brubeck has taken him to Salzburg, Vienna and Moscow in performances of To Hope! He performed Brubeck’s Gates of Justice in a gala performance in New York.