300 years ago, marriages were rarely parted by anything other than death. Parting farewells, on the other hand – including permanent ones – were a daily occurrence. As if in proof of point, Bach’s tongue in cheek farewell cantata on the departure of a certain scholar, Lorenz Beck, from Leipzig to Ansbach opens with the words “Non sa che sia dolore, Chi dall’amico suo parte e non more” (He knows not what true grief is, Who from his friend his leave doth take and is not dying). The performance of this cantata – the first at the Wiener Konzerthaus in almost 60 years – will be given by the Ensemble of the J. S. Bach Foundation under the baton of Rudolf Lutz, who is making his third guest performance in Vienna as part of the Bach cantata cycle. Star of the of the evening is Catalonian soprano Núria Rial, who will also bring springtime zest to the solo cantata “Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten” (Yield I say, ye brooding shadows). The concert in the Vienna Konzerthaus marks the start of the international tour; concerts in St. Gallen, Basel and Zurich will follow.