A tale of two cities

Three of Leipzig's oldest cultural establishments gather at the Hong Kong Arts Festival for a week-long residency. Leipzig Opera, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and St Thomas Boys Choir (Thomanerchor) come together to showcase the German city's rich musical tradition with six performances of masterpieces that are close to their hearts, exploring their special relationship with longtime associates and famous Leipzigers J S Bach and Richard Wagner.

19, 21 March 2011
Concert Hall, HK Cultural Centre

St Thomas Boys Choir (Thomanerchor) stands proudly on almost 800 years of musical heritage. Founded in 1212, the celebrated choir of St Thomas Church is Leipzig’s oldest cultural institution. It is also the chief custodian of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, who led the choir as its Cantor for 27 years until his death in 1750.

Bach’s greatest aspiration was to create “well-regulated church music to the glory of God”. His tenure as Leipzig city’s musical director and choirmaster of St Thomas Church provided the resources and opportunity to realise this grand vision. He wrote his greatest vocal masterpieces for St Thomas Boys Choir to sing in church services.

The liturgical music tradition set down by Bach is still the lifeblood of St Thomas Boys Choir today, which reaches a new pinnacle under the current Cantor Georg Christoph Biller.

This is an incomparable chance to experience Bach’s religious music at its purest and most spiritual, performed by his most authoritative exponent, St Thomas Boys Choir.