Bach: h-moll mise

What makes the Mass in B minor so unique is the fact that in it Bach – most unusually for a Lutheran composer – set the liturgical texts of the entire mass cycle to music. While the work was not explicitly intended for Easter, its seriousness and weight, along with the sombre feel of the minor key, make it a suitable listening experience for Palm Sunday and a spiritual preparation for Holy Week. Presenting this peerless opus as part of Müpa Budapest’s Early Music Festival will be a host of exceptional performers. Of the soloists, the world-famous Catalan singer Núria Rial has taken the stage at Müpa Budapest several times, while Anna Lucia Richter visited in May. For Werner Güra, this occasion will serve as his debut here. Joining them will be two leading ensembles from the world of historically informed performance practice, the Insula orchestra and the choir accentus, playing under the baton of the internationally renowned French early music specialist Laurence Equilbey.