J.S. Bach - The Apocalypse

FIRST PART

The enraged citizens of Münster call for the death of the leaders of the just-conquered Anabaptists, including 'king' Jan van Leyden. Catholic bishop Von Waldeck has their corpses hung in cages from the tower of St Lambert's church.

Joiner Heinrich Gresbeck is brought before the bishop. He fled the besieged city and made a model showing how the city could be recaptured. The bishop is unsure what to do with Gresbeck, who stayed in the enemy camp almost to the end. Gresbeck begs to be allowed to write an account of all the events; it will prove his innocence.

We go back in time with Gresbeck. Outside the walls of Münster, we see a rebellious group surrounding merchant Bernhard Knipperdollinck. He is outraged: the bishop has banned the popular preacher Bernhard Rothmann from preaching in the city. Rothmann appears and says the tide will turn. Listeners in the group are two Hollanders, including Jan van Leyden.

The two Hollanders return to Leiden. There, Jan and his wife Marijtje are managers of a pub where bawdy entertainment is presented. We see how actors, dressed as hypocritical bishop and innocent girl, ridicule Catholic confession. The guest is Dieuwer Brouwersdochter. She talks about the ideas of her husband Jan Matthijsz, who feels appointed as a prophet and predicts that the end times will come. A city of heaven will arise on earth. Jan van Leyden realises that Rothmann in Münster needs to hear this. Münster is that heavenly city! Marijtje already sees the storm coming: her husband will once again go out to improve the world elsewhere instead of at home.

In Münster, Rothmann and Knipperdollinck's protest group has been successful. They managed to chase the Catholic troops out of the city. The group from Leiden joined them. They celebrated the victory. Jan Matthijsz, the man who provided everything, is enthusiastically honoured. People share their possessions, shackled nuns are freed and an iconoclasm is imminent. The mood turns when Jan Matthijsz preaches that all are doomed. But Rothmann reminds Jan Matthijsz of his own words: whoever is rebaptised belongs to the elect. Fanatically, the people unite in the idea of a purifying baptism.

The Catholics lay siege to the city. Jan Matthijsz, convinced that he is the hand of God, makes a raid - alone. He is immediately shot dead.

With bread and games, the people are kept happy. The blind seer Dusentschuer is brought before the people. He had a vision in which God designated Jan van Leyden as king, with Dieuwer as queen. Jan says he also dreamt this. The coronation feast can begin, but is disturbed a bishop's envoy who issues an ultimatum. Jan says God has already given him another date, however: the Lord will return to earth at Easter with his followers in Münster. The envoy is chased away. John fires the people to declare war on the pagan enemy. Women must be at the forefront of that battle. John introduces polygamy in order to bring about the army of 144,000 - the number of the elect spoken of in the Bible.

INTERMISSION

SECOND PART

Months later. The siege is suffocating, food is running out. Neither the Messiah nor outside auxiliaries have shown up. John wonders if God is supporting his followers. He tells Rothmann that they will have to unleash the final battle themselves. A handcuffed woman, Elisabeth Wandscherer, is brought in. She refuses to be forcibly married. Knipperdollinck would like to punish her; Dieuwer pleads for compassion. King Jan combines both wishes: he takes her to wife himself, his seventeenth. Dieuwer points out to Jan how far away he has become from the original ideals they shared in Leiden. Jan points out to Dieuwer her hypocrisy: after all, she enjoys her privileged life as queen. After an argument, Dieuwer is left alone and considers her fate.

Gresbeck, in a letter to the bishop, describes the dire hunger in the city, and asks him to relieve the city.

King John does all he can to keep the people on his side. By force, but also by raising their spirits. He organises a parody mass. The Catholic mass, in which the 'real' flesh and blood of Christ is consumed, is ridiculed. In a pagan sacrificial ritual, all citizens bring the last edible goods in the city to the altar. Knipperdollinck steals the show with a real 'Lamb of God'. When he unveils his copious scho- tel, however, the mood turns. Jan forces the Münsterans to keep celebrating. He realises that the apocalypse has indeed come, but that it is they themselves who are going down. Jan sinks into depression. Rothmann and Dieuwer plot to escape from the city together. Many civilians also flee the city in desperation, shelling from both the city and enemy forces. Gresbeck manages to reach the bishop's troops alive. He tells them how to recapture the city.

The bishop moves into the conquered city. He interacts with the still depressed 'king' Jan. Jan has ruined him and the city, says the bishop. Jan sees it differently: the bishop is famous for his recapture. And Jan can make the bishop rich. All he has to do is exhibit the Anabaptist king in a cage and sell tickets for it. Jan is taken away. The bishop tells the people that whoever denounces an Anabaptist will himself be spared. The Münsterans start pointing at each other. But they realise: everyone was complicit.

In prison, Jan receives the bishop's chaplain for a final confession. Jan says he deserves to be killed ten times over. However, the curate makes Jan think more deeply about his own words and actions.

In Cathedral Square, we hear the angry mob. The Anabaptist leaders are led off in chains, heading for their execution. The bishop has (cynically) adopted John's suggestion: the corpses will be displayed in cages. Gresbeck is released and fobbed off with a tip. With his report, he managed to save his life.

Tour dates

J.S. Bach - The Apocalypse can be seen in the Netherlands and Germany from January 2024. In our playlist you will find a complete overview of all dates and theatres.

J.S. Bach – The Apocalypse is a co-production of OPERA2DAY & the Netherlands Bach Society

ARTISTIC TEAM

Music Johann Sebastian Bach, Panos Iliopoulos

Libretto Thomas Höft

Scenario and stage direction Serge van Veggel

Musical direction Hernán Schvartzman

Scenography Herbert Janse

Light design Uri Rapaport

Technical production Ronald Tebra

Costumes Mirjam Pater

Hair & make-up Pilo Pilkes

Artistic leader Netherlands Bach Society Shunske Sato

CAST

Jan van Leyden Florian Sievers, tenor

Bernhard Knipperdollinck Wolf Matthias Friedrich, bass/baritone

Bisschop / Jan Matthijsz tba

Dieuwer Brouwersdochter Cecilia Amancay Pastawski, Georiga Burashko, mezzosoprano

Bernhard Rothmann Mattijs van der Woerd, baritone

Henrick Hendrickz / Jacob Dusentschuer Kaspar Kröner, Oscar Verhaar, countertenor

Claes Janssen / Gezant / Kapelaan Johannes von Siburg Wiebe-Pier Cnossen, baritone

Marijtje IJsbrandsdochter / Elisabeth Wandscherer Michaela Riener, soprano

Heinrich Gresbeck Jobst Schnibbe, actor

Katharina Lauren Armishaw, soprano

Woman in rebellious group (scene 3) Emilie Wijers, alt

Jan van Leyden's friend Mike Wijdenbosch, acteur

The bishop's captain ntb

The bishop's soldiers Boris van Bochoven, Janusz Pawlak, Zweitze Zwart, figuranten

VOCALISTS NETHERLANDS BACH SOCIETY

Soprano: Aldona Bartnik, Amelia Berridge, Heleen Bongenaar, Lauren Armishaw

Alto: Emilie Wijers, Oscar Verhaar, Iris Bouman, Mercè Bruguera Albello

Tenor: Joao Moreira, Emilio Aguilar, Hugo Maille, Carlos Negrín Lopez

Bass: Matthew Baker, Hidde Kleikamp, Mitchell Sandler, Samuel Wong

UNDERSTUDIES

Jan van Leyden Carlos Negrín Lopez

Heinrich Gresbeck Howard van Dodemont

Bernhard Knipperdollinck Wiebe-Pier Cnossen

Bernhard Rothmann Matthew Baker

Bisschop Franz von Waldeck tba

Dieuwer Brouwersdochter Lauren Armishaw

Marijtje IJsbrandsdochter Amelia Berridge

Claes Janssen and others Hidde Kleikamp

Envoy / Priest Mitchell Sandler

Katharina Heleen Bongenaar

Vrouw op uitkijk Mercè Bruguera Abelló

INSTRUMENTALISTS NETHERLANDS BACH SOCIETY

Violin: Cecilia Bernardini, Evgeny Sviridov, Lidewij van der Voort, Annelies van der Vegt, Andrew Wong, Sayuri Yamagata, Anneke van Haaften

Viola: Femke Huizinga, tba

Cello: Lucia Swarts

Double bass: Robert Franenberg

Gamba: Mieneke van der Velden, Anna Lachegyi

Traverso: Marten Root, Doretthe Janssen

Oboe: Rodigro Lopez Paz, Katharina Verhaar

Bassoon: Benny Aghassi, Hannah Vos

Trumpet: Christopher Price, Amir Rabinovitz

Percussion: Marianna Soroka

Organ, harpischord: Menno van Delft

Theorbo: Mike Fentross

DURATION OF THE PERFORMANCE

Approximately 2 hours  (intermission not included).

SUBTITLING

The opera will be sung in German, with English and Dutch subtitling.