Mendelssohn: Elijah

This dramatic retelling of the triumphs and despair of the Hebrew prophet Elijah was a creative high point for its composer, Felix Mendelssohn. Set to music in the 1840s, the biblical tale becomes a musical snapshot of the human condition, and a reflection on whether the woes of a nation are the responsibility of its people.

Elijah is a complex character: he knows he is the only remaining voice of truth, but he also succumbs to the depths of despair. Although he shows intense compassion to a mother with a child at the point of death, he can also be solemn and commanding. His battle for the soul of the nation against the prophets of corrupt religion exhausts him even though he emerges the winner.

The full power of this tumultuous tale comes to life in this performance, sung and played with all the emotion it requires.

Linda Richardson soprano

Diana Moore mezzo-soprano

Greg Tassell tenor

Gareth Brynmor John baritone

English Arts Orchestra

Leslie Olive conductor

Ticket prices: £42, £34, £26, £12.  Available from: Southbank Centre Box Office / Website; or at the door.