Those who thought Easter was just an excuse to gorge on egg-shaped confectionery would have been left in no doubt as to its real Christian significance had they witnessed Brighton Festival Chorus’s spine-tingling performance of Bach’s St John Passion.

A huge wooden cross, suspended from the Dome’s cavernous ceiling, was the visual centrepiece of this passionate work – not that props were necessary. The musical drama focused on Christ’s trial before the sympathetically portrayed Pontius Pilate, while the proms-style performance enabled the audience to mix with the performers in the stalls, where some seating had been removed to accommodate the orchestra, soloists and 100-plus choir.

The informal staging afforded a unique interactive experience for spectators, particularly during the fanatical crowd scenes where the chorus exhorted Pontius Pilate to crucify Jesus.

While some soloists were, on occasion, overshadowed by the highly accomplished orchestra (the bassoon player and flautists particularly stood out) the choir had a musical energy that positively reverberated, entirely in keeping with the evangelical zeal of the piece.

Sheet music was distributed at points of entry into the auditorium enabling the audience to participate in the chorales, which they did, almost matching the choir’s passion.