In an interview with us last year, Roderick Williams referred to the St Matthew Passion as ‘the pinnacle of human achievement in music’, and it’s hard to disagree.
Seeing The Bach Choir perform this masterwork is certainly a recipe for a great Sunday in itself, but your planning doesn’t need to end there.
The starting time of 11am for our performance of the St Matthew Passion means that you can really make a day of it – the two-hour lunch interval gives you a window to check out some of London’s best restaurants, and the finish time of 3.45pm for the concert means that your day isn’t over when the final notes of We bow our heads in tears and sorrow fade away.
We’ve put together some recommendations that came from members of The Choir who have been performing this work for years on where to go to really elevate your St Matthew Passion experience to a new level.
Read more below, but don’t forget to book your tickets now before you start dreaming up your ideal St Matthew Passion Sunday.
There’s a plethora of choices when it comes to choosing a spot for lunch on the day, and there are options to suit a multitude of budgets. If you’re looking for something more upmarket, you could try Skylon inside the Southbank Centre which offers modern British cuisine, cocktails and stunning views from its floor-to-ceiling windows.
There are plenty of more casual options for restaurant meals out, too. These include The Archduke which serves steak and wine (vegan and vegetarian options are also on offer), Cote Brasserie who cook accessible French cuisine and Wahaca who offer Mexican food that’s perfect for sharing. If you’re after more laid-back food market fare, then London’s biggest food market, Southbank Centre Food Market, has you more than covered. The variety there is unparalleled – you can see a list of the stalls that are currently there by clicking here.
If you would rather bring your own picnic to enjoy together, then there are some wonderful options for picnic spots too. Whitehall Gardens are a 10-minute walk away just over the Hungerford Bridge, but if you don’t fancy walking too far then the Jubilee Park and Garden outside the London Eye is a great spot that’s perfect for grazing on snacks and people-watching. If the weather’s bad, there’s also plenty of space inside the Southbank Centre for a picnic – all customers are welcome to bring their own food along.
After the concert
The St Matthew Passion end time of 3.45pm means that your day doesn’t have to end there. Popular spots for post-concert drinks include the Spiritland Diner or Artists’ Bar inside the Southbank Centre, or the London institution Gordon’s Wine Bar just over the bridge. In addition to this, you’re very close to some other wonderful cultural attractions – the BFI Southbank and Tate Modern are 5 and 20 minutes’ walk away respectively along the Southbank, and the walk between them is an attraction in itself. Or alternatively, head home and enjoy a restful evening – the choice is yours.
There are so many ways to enjoy the St Matthew Passion, so whether you’re purely there for the concert or if you’re there to enjoy London then there are plenty of options for you. Make sure you buy your ticket now using the link below to avoid missing out.
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