(Credit: Teatro Arriaga de Bilbao official website)

The Teatro Arriaga de Bilbao has announced an upcoming fully staged performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” BWV 248 on Dec. 22, 2021.

The showcase will feature Cantatas I, II and III and will star soprano Vanessa Goikoetxea, alto Nerea Berraondo, tenor Toby Spence, and baritone Jonathan McGovern. Diego Martín-Etxebarria conducts a production by Calixto Bieito.

The performance also includes the Coro Euskeria de la Coral de Bilbao, Gaudeamus Korala, and Nurat Gazte Abesbatza.

Bach wrote the “Christmas Oratorio” for the liturgical services of St. Thomas’ church in Leipzig 1734-1735, incorporating music from earlier compositions. These are six cantatas whose link is the narration of the birth of Christ and which were performed one by one at various Christmas festivals. Three of those six cantatas will be performed at the Teatro Arriaga de Bilbao.