The Washington Bach Consort is set to open its 2023-24 season with Bach’s “St. John Passion” under the leadership of Artistic Director Dana Marsh.

The opening will be held on Oct. 1 at the National Presbyterian Church and will feature tenor Gene Stenger as the Evangelist, baritone Jonathon Adams as the role of Christus, and bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca as Pilate. The cast will be rounded by soprano Elijah McCormack, countertenor Reginald Mobley, and tenor Jacob Perry Jr.

In a statement, Marsh said, “I first sang the St. John Passion as a boy in New York when I was 11. Fast forward to time in the UK while doing graduate research, I performed it many times as a countertenor with the Choir of New College. The first time I directed the piece was in 2001 at New College Chapel Oxford—it was the inaugural performance of a group I founded called Musica Humana Oxford, with young singers who now have international careers. Extraordinarily, it was a sellout. It’s one of Bach’s most palpably dramatic works and never fails in its effect.”