11.06.2026

PATRICIA NOLZ, MARIE-SOPHIE POLLAK & MANUEL WALSER at the Bachfest Leipzig

The 2026 Leipzig Bach Festival is themed ‘In Dialogue’ and once again brings together some of the most prominent performers on the international Bach scene. Among this year’s participants are Machreich artists Patricia Nolz, Marie-Sophie Pollak and Manuel Walser, each of whom will add their own personal touch to the festival programme with their performances.

The opening concert on 11 June at St Thomas’ Church, featuring the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, will present, among other works, Bach’s Magnificat in D major under the baton of Thomaskantor Andreas Reize, with Patricia Nolz taking on the second soprano part.

The following day, Marie-Sophie Pollak will present an enticing programme entitled “Bach vs Scheibe”, which has recently also been released as a solo album with Concerto Köln on the Berlin Classics label. In 1737, Johann Sebastian Bach had to read in the journal “Der Critische Musicus” that his music was pompous, confused and “against nature”. Even though the author wished to remain anonymous, it was immediately clear that Johann Adolph Scheibe had penned this text – a music writer and composer originally from Leipzig who was now making a name for himself in Hamburg. Bach was furious and had a “counter-article” written. The evening in the Aula and University Church of St. Pauli puts this to the test, juxtaposing selected works by Bach with those of his critic Scheibe.

Finally, to bring the Bach Festival to a festive close, baritone Manuel Walser will perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B minor alongside the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and Thomaskantor Andreas Reize. This monumental work is regarded as one of the most significant masterpieces in the history of music and is traditionally included in the programme of the Bach Festival’s closing concert.