A new English version of Bach’s St Matthew Passion will be performed during Holy Week at St Peter’s Church in Harrogate.

The oratorio will be sung on Wednesday by the choir of St Peter’s Church, Vocalis chamber choir and the professional Harrogate Bach Players.

John Longstaff, director of music and organist at St Peter’s Church, will direct the performance.

Mr Longstaff and Andrew Greenan, the internationally acclaimed soloist singing the bass arias, have translated the 400-year-old passion into English.

Christine Murphy, of Vocalis, said:

“This is an unmissable opportunity to hear Bach’s St. Matthew Passion complete in Holy Week, in a new English translation, which seeks to communicate the text as clearly as possible while respecting Bach’s natural speech rhythms.”

The other professional soloists are the tenors Joseph Doody and James Micklethwaite, who were both born locally, Philip Wilcox (bass),  Jenny Stafford (soprano, pictured) and Heather Lowe (mezzo-soprano).

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St Matthew Passion was first performed on Good Friday in 1727 and has become an Easter tradition.

Tickets cost £15 and are available by calling 07425 161425, via Eventbrite or on the door, subject to space.