THE choir of Hereford Cathedral, together with an international line-up of soloists and period-instrument orchestra Marches Baroque, will be singing J S Bach’s St John Passion on Tuesday, March 22.

The performance of one of Bach’s Passions has become a regular feature of Holy Week at Hereford Cathedral, with the cathedral choir singing the St John Passion and the St Matthew Passion in alternate years. Geraint Bowen, the director of music at the cathedral, said: "It is always exciting to re-visit these extraordinary works, which never lose their power to move audiences.

"In the course of the St John Passion the choir has to adopt a number of different guises," he added, "one moment singing a tender chorale, the next portraying a baying mob calling for Christ’s crucifixion."

Among the soloists will be countertenor Patrick Dunachie, a former Hereford chorister who was recently appointed to the world-famous King’s Singers, and British-born Serbian baritone Bo?idar Smiljani?, who is taking the part of Christus. The role of the Evangelist and the tenor arias will be sung by Gwilym Bowen; the other soloists are the soprano Rowan Pierce and the bass Nicholas Morton.

Tickets are available from the Cathedral Shop (01432 374210 or shop@herefordcathedral.org); Outback Records, Church Street, or on the door. Doors open at 6.45 pm, and the concert is expected to finish at approximately 9.45 pm.