Tan Dun: Water Passion

Seventeen transparent water bowls are illuminated from below and laid out in the shape of a cross, dividing two choirs, vocal soloists and instrumentalists into four groups – this is the stage set-up for Tan Dun’s »Water Passion«, which he himself conducts at the opening event of the »Lux aeterna« festival. The leading Chinese composer of our time created this work to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of Johann Sebastian Bach, effectively bringing the tradition of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion into the present day. The element of water runs through the entire work – not only as an instrument but also as a symbol of the blood and tears that are shed over the course of the Passion. With the sacred space of St. Catharine’s Church forming a key part of the staging, »Water Passion« offers a sensuous experience that goes far beyond the conventional concert format.