TOCCATA presents St. Matthew Passion series March 28 - April 3

Staff Reports

J.S. Bach's "The Passion According to St. Matthew" is presented by TOCCATA - The Orchestra and Community Choral Artists of the Tahoe Area - March 28 through April 3. The first concert is Palm Sunday, March 28 at 5:30 p.m. in Trinity Episcopal Church in Reno. The program features selections from part two of the Passion and will be performed in English.

Soloists include Fahad Siadat as the Evangelist and Stuart Duke as Jesus. Other vocal soloists include Katharine DeBoer, Anna Helwing, and Joy Strotz, soprano; and Maryanne Ashley, mezzo-soprano. David Brock will play organ continuo along with Ben Benson, bassoon; Ben Wallack, bass; and Eileen Brownell, cello. The TOCCATA Chorus will also be featured.

The next performances are 7 p.m. March 31 at St. Theresa Catholic Church in South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m. April 2 at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Incline Village, and 3 p.m. April 3 at the Squaw Valley Chapel. TOCCATA founder and Artistic Director James Rawie will conduct the performances.

Tickets at the door are $20 for adults, $15 seniors, $5 students, and youth 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult. The Passion series is co-sponsored by the Kling Family and Thorney Point Foundations. Concerts April 2 and 3 are free admission, but a freewill offering is always appreciated. Advance tickets are available at www.toccatatahoe.com or at www.placerarts.org. Preferred seating is available for $35 by calling (775) 313-9697.