Bach’s St. John Passion Comes to Carmel and Santa Cruz in Intimate Chamber Performances
This April, the Central Coast Chamber Choir (C4), the chamber ensemble of I Cantori di Carmel, presents J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion under the direction of Daniel Henriks. Performed with a chamber choir and an ensemble, these concerts bring Bach’s dramatic retelling of the Passion story into a more immediate and human scale. The result is direct, present, and deeply sincere.
Two performances will take place:
Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 7:30 PM
All Saints’ Episcopal Church | 9th Street & Dolores Avenue | Carmel
Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Calvary Episcopal Church | 532 Center Street | Santa Cruz
Tickets are available at www.icantori.org
About the piece:
Rather than presenting the work with large forces, C4 approaches the St. John Passion at a more intimate scale. This allows the text and music to come forward with clarity and immediacy, placing the listener closer to the unfolding story.
Under the direction of Daniel Henriks, the performance reflects a deep engagement with both the musical structure and the human drama of the work. A conductor with a background as an international opera singer, Henriks brings a strong sense of narrative, pacing, and vocal understanding to this repertoire.
The performance features a cast of distinguished soloists:
Steven Caldicott Wilson (Evangelist), praised by The New York Times for his “powerful, polished and moving” interpretation.
Morgan Balfour, soprano, recently featured with the San Francisco Symphony and known for her luminous tone and expressive range.
Gabriela Estephanie Solís, mezzo-soprano, an in-demand interpreter of Baroque repertoire with major early music ensembles.
Matt Peterson, baritone, is recognized for his commanding presence and versatility on both operatic and concert stages.
They are joined by the Central Coast Chamber Choir and a baroque ensemble drawn from Central Coast musicians, performing on period instruments. This ensemble reflects a growing focus on historically grounded performance practice within the region.