The Leipzig Bachfest invited its audiences to choose the works for two Bach cantata programmes filled with masterpieces: John Eliot Gardiner responded to the public’s preferences by composing two programmes based on these suggestions.

This first programme presents a luminous dialogue between the tradition of the 17^th-century German motet and the masterful art of Johann Sebastian Bach, a guiding figure of Baroque music.

The motet Wie schön leuchtet by Michael Praetorius opens the evening with an exclamation of joy: the divine light personified by the morning star. This poetic and mystical image is vividly echoed in Bach’s Cantata BWV 1, built on the same Lutheran chorale. Bach’s rich writing magnifies the text with grandeur and depth, setting the tone for this musical meditation.

With Ich bin die Wurzel by Johann Hermann Schein, the programme returns to a more pared-down form, rooted in sacred rhetoric. The work illustrates the art of the Germanic motet, where polyphony at the service of the word expresses an incarnate spiritual truth.

First part : 50 minutes

Michael Prætorius (1571-1621)

Motet Wie schön leuchtet

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1

Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630)

Motet Ich bin die Wurzel

Johann Sebastian Bach

Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56

Intermission

Second part : 50 minutes

Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672)

Motet Ich bin eine rufende Stimme

Johann Sebastian Bach

Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, BWV 6

Heinrich Schütz

Motet Ich bin ein rechter Weinstock

Johann Sebastian Bach

Es erhub sich ein Streit, BWV 19

PRESTIGE VIP CATEGORY : Best seats in house, you will receive a complimentary programme and a glass of champagne.

PRESTIGE CATEGORY : Excellent seats, you will receive a complimentary programme and a glass of champagne.

REDUCED RATE : applicable to under 26s, Chateau de Versailles Spectacles card holders and groups of more than 10 people (excluding special company offer).

GROUP RATES : for more information, please refer to our page dedicated to works councils and groups.

In case of any technical problem, the box office service remains available to complete your order by phone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89 (Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm) or in our box office-shop (3 bis rue des Réservoirs, 78000 Versailles ; Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturdays with concerts or shows except during the Musical Fountains Shows, from 2pm to 5pm).

To ensure the best welcome possible, people with limited mobility are advised to book their seats by telephone.