Mendelssohn: Elijah
7:30 pm, Saturday 23 Nov 2024
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Musical Society
Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra
Conductor: David Halls
About the Concert Programme
Mendelssohn had great success on his visits to Britain, and after triumphs at the Birmingham Festival in 1836 and 1840 he was appointed director of the Festival and was asked to write a new oratorio to conduct at the 1846 Festival. This was the spur he needed to resume active work on Elijah and, after some initial trouble with the libretto, he finished the oratorio in the early summer of 1846. Even at the last minute the composer was making changes to it. He only reluctantly allowed the great aria ‘O rest in the Lord’ to remain because several friends urged it. The Overture, too, was a late addition.
Elijah received its first performance on 26th August in Birmingham and the critic of The Times wrote: “Never was there a more complete triumph – never a more thorough and speedy recognition of a great work of art.” Most striking perhaps is the significant role of the chorus in pushing the action onward. Elijah soon overtook Handel’s Messiah in popularity, remaining the most performed oratorio for most of the nineteenth century.
Before buying tickets, please read this.
After you have selected your seats and paid, please wait to be returned to the confirmation page on our website. Here you will see a heading Tickets and below that a download link. You may print the tickets or display them on your mobile device. You will also receive emails to acknowledge and confirm your booking, and these also have download links. If you are using a mobile phone, you will find it much easier in landscape format. You can expand the seating chart or drag it around to see any seats you want.
Recent regulatory changes make it mandatory for buyers to enter a billing address. If this doesn’t match the address on your card or PayPal account, your transaction may fail.
Price Guide
Nave front £40, nave rear £25, sides of stage £20, side aisles (unreserved, restricted view) £10. Wheelchair users and their carers £10.
Concessions for students with ID, and children
Accompanied under 18s and students with ID can claim a 50% discount for rear nave seats. This is limited to one discounted seat for each full price seat. Please use discount code JUNIOR-NOV2024 at the shopping basket.
Dress Code
Relax, the cathedral might look like a formal setting, but there is no need for the audience to reflect that. Casual dress is fine.
For help with buying tickets online, please email our IT manager or telephone 07867 520644.
About the Concert Programme
Mendelssohn had great success on his visits to Britain, and after triumphs at the Birmingham Festival in 1836 and 1840 he was appointed director of the Festival and was asked to write a new oratorio to conduct at the 1846 Festival. This was the spur he needed to resume active work on Elijah and, after some initial trouble with the libretto, he finished the oratorio in the early summer of 1846. Even at the last minute the composer was making changes to it. He only reluctantly allowed the great aria ‘O rest in the Lord’ to remain because several friends urged it. The Overture, too, was a late addition.
Elijah received its first performance on 26th August in Birmingham and the critic of The Times wrote: “Never was there a more complete triumph – never a more thorough and speedy recognition of a great work of art.” Most striking perhaps is the significant role of the chorus in pushing the action onward. Elijah soon overtook Handel’s Messiah in popularity, remaining the most performed oratorio for most of the nineteenth century.
Before buying tickets, please read this.
After you have selected your seats and paid, please wait to be returned to the confirmation page on our website. Here you will see a heading Tickets and below that a download link. You may print the tickets or display them on your mobile device. You will also receive emails to acknowledge and confirm your booking, and these also have download links. If you are using a mobile phone, you will find it much easier in landscape format. You can expand the seating chart or drag it around to see any seats you want.
Recent regulatory changes make it mandatory for buyers to enter a billing address. If this doesn’t match the address on your card or PayPal account, your transaction may fail.
Price Guide
Nave front £40, nave rear £25, sides of stage £20, side aisles (unreserved, restricted view) £10. Wheelchair users and their carers £10.
Concessions for students with ID, and children
Accompanied under 18s and students with ID can claim a 50% discount for rear nave seats. This is limited to one discounted seat for each full price seat. Please use discount code JUNIOR-NOV2024 at the shopping basket.
Dress Code
Relax, the cathedral might look like a formal setting, but there is no need for the audience to reflect that. Casual dress is fine.
For help with buying tickets online, please email our IT manager or telephone 07867 520644.
“The liquid-toned baroque flute solo of the Benedictus and the hauntingly beautiful singing of the Agnus Dei”
Dr Richard Godfrey/ JS Bach Mass in B Minor (2023)
The Venue
Historic Salisbury Cathedral
This concert, like most of ours, takes place in the beautiful surroundings of Salisbury Cathedral, regarded as one of the leading examples of Early English Gothic architecture. If you don’t live in Salisbury, don’t worry — it’s easy to get to on public transport or by road.
Seating plan
Main entrance and exit via North porch
Wheelchairs and carers
Exit via Consistory Court
Exit via South transept and cloisters
