The Complete 2027–28 Season Lineup

The 2027–28 Season will feature six subscription concerts at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, along with a special concert at Suntory Hall marking the grand finale of our “The Path to Beethoven” series.

Highlights include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and Mass in B minor, alongside Beethoven’s symphonies and Missa solemnis. As we mark 200 years since Beethoven’s passing, the season brings our “The Path to Beethoven” series to its grand finale, exploring the music of Beethoven and his contemporaries through the distinctive sound of period instruments.

March – St. Matthew Passion
An essential part of the Lenten season, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion marks its 300th anniversary in 2027. BCJ presents this monumental work at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall under the direction of Masaaki Suzuki. Shimon Yoshida takes the role of the Evangelist, joined by internationally acclaimed soloists Hana Blažíková and Tim Mead, as well as bass Florian Störtz, making his BCJ debut. Both performances will feature surtitles, allowing audiences to follow the story of Christ’s Passion more closely. Join us on Good Friday and Holy Saturday for two performances of this timeless masterpiece.

🎵178th Subscription Concert – Passion Concert 2027
🎶J. S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244
🗓️March 26, 2027 (Good Friday) 18:30
🗓️March 27, 2027 (Holy Saturday) 15:00
📍Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/tokyo_178friday-en/
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/tokyo_178saturday-en/

🎼Performers:
Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki
Evangelist: Shimon Yoshida
Sopranos: Hana Blažíková, Aki Matsui
Altos: Tim Mead, Hiroya Aoki
Tenor: Makoto Sakurada
Basses: Florian Störtz, Toru Kaku
Chorus & Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

May – Fate & Pastoral | The Path to Beethoven, Vol. 4
The fourth installment of our “The Path to Beethoven” series pairs two of Beethoven’s most beloved symphonies: Symphony No. 5, known as the “Fate” Symphony, and Symphony No. 6, the “Pastoral” Symphony. Both works premiered at the same concert in Vienna in 1808, offering a striking contrast in character. The program also features Salieri’s Organ Concerto in C major. Beethoven’s teacher and contemporary, Salieri is represented here in a program that brings the organ and symphonic repertoire together in a distinctive BCJ performance, with Masato Suzuki conducting from the organ.

🎵179th Subscription Concert – Marking 200 Years Since Beethoven’s Passing
🎶L. v. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, “Pastoral”
🎶A. Salieri: Organ Concerto in C major
🗓️May 16, 2027 (Sun) 15:00
📍Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/subsc179-052027-en/

🎼Performers:
Conductor & Organ Soloist: Masato Suzuki
Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

July – Mass in B minor
This season, Bach’s monumental Mass in B minor returns under the direction of Masato Suzuki, following last season’s performance conducted by Masaaki Suzuki. Completed toward the end of Bach’s life, this masterpiece has long been a cornerstone of BCJ’s repertoire and has earned the ensemble acclaim around the world. Featuring an outstanding cast of soloists, including Marianne Beate Kielland and Terry Wey, the performance offers a renewed opportunity to experience the spiritual depth and musical grandeur of Bach’s extraordinary work.

🎵180th Subscription Concert – Mass in B minor
🎶J. S. Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232
🗓️July 25, 2027 (Sun) 15:00
📍Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/bwv232-072027-en/

🎼Performers:
Conductor: Masato Suzuki
Sopranos: Rena Fujii, Marianne Beate Kielland
Alto: Terry Wey
Tenor: Makoto Sakurada
Bass: Kei Yonashiro
Chorus & Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

October – Fervor & Mastery | The Path to Beethoven, Vol. 5
The fifth installment of our “The Path to Beethoven” series features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, which Wagner famously described as the “apotheosis of the dance,” and Symphony No. 8, whose lighthearted character conceals a work of remarkable maturity. The program also features Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major, performed by Lorenzo Coppola, an internationally renowned specialist in historical clarinets. Rather than the version commonly heard today, which was adapted for the A clarinet after Mozart’s death, this performance uses the basset clarinet associated with the concerto’s original performer, Anton Stadler. Its extended lower range restores notes absent from the commonly performed version, offering a rare opportunity to hear the work closer to Mozart’s original conception.

🎵181st Subscription Concert – Marking 200 Years Since Beethoven’s Passing
🎶L. v. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
🎶W. A. Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622
🗓️October 11, 2027 (Mon, national holiday) 15:00
📍Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/subsc181-102027-en/

🎼Performers:
Conductor: Masato Suzuki
Basset Clarinet: Lorenzo Coppola
Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

November – The Path to Beethoven: Grand Finale | Symphony No. 9 & Missa solemnis
Our “The Path to Beethoven” series reaches its grand finale with two concerts just two days apart. On November 21, a special concert at Suntory Hall features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Choral Fantasy, conducted by Masato Suzuki. On November 23, Masaaki Suzuki leads the 182nd Subscription Concert in a performance of the Missa solemnis.

Composed around the same time, Symphony No. 9 and the Missa solemnis stand among the greatest achievements of Beethoven’s late period. In 1824, the two works were presented at the same concert in Vienna. One celebrates human solidarity through the symphony, while the other expresses profound devotion through the Mass. Heard together, they offer a compelling perspective on the artistic and spiritual heights Beethoven reached in his final years.

Both concerts feature soprano Christina Landshamer, well known to BCJ audiences, alongside the same distinguished cast of soloists. Subscription members can also take advantage of a special discounted ticket for the anniversary concert. We invite you to experience both performances and join us in celebrating the grand finale of this musical journey.

🎵Special Grand Finale Concert: “The Path to Beethoven” – Vol. 6
🎶L. v. Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125
Choral Fantasy, Op. 80
🗓️November 21, 2027 (Sun) 14:00
📍Suntory Hall, Grand Hall
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/beethoven_symphony9-112027-en/

🎼Performers:
Conductor: Masato Suzuki
Soprano: Christina Landshamer
Alto: Roxana Constantinescu
Tenor: Makoto Sakurada
Bass: Florian Störtz
Chorus & Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

🎵182nd Subscription Concert – The Path to Beethoven, Vol. 7
🎶L. v. Beethoven: Missa solemnis, Op. 123
🗓️November 23, 2027 (Tue, national holiday) 15:00
📍Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/subsc182-112027-en/

🎼Performers:
Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki
Soprano: Christina Landshamer
Alto: Roxana Constantinescu
Tenor: Makoto Sakurada
Bass: Florian Störtz
Chorus & Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

February 2028 – From the New Year to Lent
The 97th installment of BCJ’s Church Cantata Series follows the liturgical calendar from the New Year toward Lent. The program opens with Bach’s chorale prelude “Das alte Jahr vergangen ist” (The Old Year Has Passed Away), followed by Cantata No. 190, “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” (Sing unto the Lord a New Song), in a reconstruction by Masato Suzuki. Since only fragments of the original score survive, this performance offers a rare opportunity to hear the work in a reconstructed version. The program also includes Cantata No. 21, a moving work that traces a path from sorrow to consolation, and the brilliant Sinfonia in D major. Under the direction of Masaaki Suzuki, these works bring the changing seasons of the church year to life.

🎵183rd Subscription Concert – Church Cantata Series, vol. 97
🎶J. S. Bach:
“Das alte Jahr vergangen ist”, BWV 614*
Sinfonia in D major, BWV 1045
Church Cantata No. 21: “Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis”, BWV 21
Church Cantata No. 190: “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied”, BWV 190 (reconstructed by Masato Suzuki)
🗓️February 12, 2028 (Sat) 15:00
📍Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial
🔗https://bachcollegiumjapan.org/en/schedule/subsc183-022028-en/

🎼Performers:
Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki
Soprano: Aki Matsui
Alto: Hiroya Aoki
Tenor: Makoto Sakurada
Bass: Toru Kaku
Organ solo*: Masato Suzuki
Chorus & Orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

The 2027–28 season centers on Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and Mass in B minor, while bringing our “The Path to Beethoven” series to its grand finale as we mark 200 years since Beethoven’s passing. From the “Fate” and “Pastoral” Symphonies to Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8, and finally to Symphony No. 9 and the Missa solemnis, the season traces Beethoven’s musical journey alongside works by his contemporaries Salieri and Mozart. As BCJ celebrates its 37th anniversary, we invite you to enjoy another season of the ensemble’s distinctive sound and richly detailed performances.