The oratorio is about the disciples of Jesus and the way they react to the amazing things that Jesus does. There are six soloists: the narrator (who tells the story)- he has a tenor voice and also does the part of St John, St Peter (bass), Jesus (bass) and Judas (bass) and the two female singers: the soprano who is both the Blessed Virgin and the angel Gabriel, and the mezzo-soprano who is Mary Magdalene.