»Göttlich weltlich!«

At first glance, the Hofkirche Church of All Saints may seem an unusual venue for the secular cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach – after all, a religious building should actually be somewhere in which to play the far better known sacred cantatas by the Leipzig composer. Alongside the latter, which Bach, in his capacity of Cantor of the Church of St. Thomas, had to compose each week for the Sunday service, this richly creative period also gave birth to a number of cantatas on secular themes, which were probably performed mainly at private family celebrations, such as weddings, birthday celebrations or name days. Under the title »Göttlich weltlich!« (Divinely Secular), the Orchestra of the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz will be presenting some of these unusual and rarely performed works on Sunday, 31 January 2016 at 6 p.m..