St Mark Passion

American double bassist and composer Douglas Balliett is a regular at the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie. Spotted by William Christie and Paul Agnew while still a student at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, he has contributed to almost every edition of the Festival since 2012, where he has presented a large number of cantatas for period instruments specially composed for performance in the Gardens. Blending baroque and jazz inspirations, his compositions build bridges between eras and cultures, while being characterised by musical rigour and an unparalleled sense of drama.

This St Mark Passion, specially commissioned by Les Arts Florissants, represents a new stage in Douglas Balliett's compositional work. With the help of musicians from Les Arts Florissants and the Juilliard School, there's no doubt that this exceptional concert will be one of the highlights of the Festival.