Up to 20,000 people watched a live modern-day performance of The Passion in Gouda's historic centre on Thursday evening to mark Easter. The turn out for the free outdoor musical was twice as high as expected.
The musical told the story of the Crucifixion of Christ with Dutch pop songs performed by well-known Dutch artists. It was broadcast live on television. It was the first time such a large production was organised in the Netherlands. However the concert was based on a BBC production.
The event was organised by various Christian television stations, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the Roman Catholic Church, the Dutch Bible Society and the city council of Gouda. A number of church groups opposed the spectacle.
The Netherlands has a tradition of performing Bach's St Matthew Passion concerts on Good Friday. This evening Prime Minister Mark Rutte and other members of the cabinet will attend a Passion concert in the picturesque village of Naarden.
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