Greifswald (dpa/mv) – The 76th Greifswald Bach Week explores the question of whether light can be captured in sound. Musicians want to look for answers in daily concerts until Sunday, as the organizers of the oldest music festival in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania announced at the start on Monday. The festival, which traditionally focuses on sacred music, has the motto “Bach illuminated” this year.
On the opening evening, Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. John Passion was on the program in Greifswald Cathedral. “The Bach Week begins in the darkness of Good Friday and leads from there to Bach’s light-filled Easter Oratorio in the festive service on the final Sunday,” explained cathedral pastor Tilman Beyrich. The choral symphonic highlight of the festival will be Edward Elgar’s oratorio “The Light of Life” on Saturday. The performance will also take place in the cathedral.
According to the information, the focus of the daily morning music of the Bach Week is on cantatas that tell of light. A “Night of Lights” with Taizé songs and a dance performance in which singers want to illuminate the world of dreams through dance have also been announced. Organ, jazz and brass concerts as well as a children’s concert and a surprise concert in the evening in front of the illuminated cathedral should also provide variety.
