Bournemouth University
About the event
Mendelssohn’s Elijah performed by University Choir and Orchestra.
Mendelssohn composed the oratorio based on the life of Elijah, the Old Testament prophet, in the 1840’s. The first performance of Elijah, conducted by Mendelssohn himself, took place on the 26 August 1846 before an audience of two thousand who had packed into Birmingham Town Hall for the eagerly-awaited event. It was an unprecedented success and was without doubt the crowning glory of Mendelssohn’s spectacularly successful career.
Felix Mendelssohn was born into a wealthy and cultured Berlin family in 1809. He was a gifted child and by the time he had reached his mid-teens he had composed a large number of mature works, including twelve string symphonies and his first symphony for a full orchestra.
Mendelssohn’s extraordinary gifts were not confined to composition; he went on to become a brilliant pianist and organist, a fine string player and an inspirational conductor. He was also a very good artist and was widely read.
How to book
Tickets are £12.50. To book email musicadmin@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Free entry for BU students (with ID) and children.
More information
To read more about Mendelssohn’s Elijah visit Wikipedia or watch a performance on You Tube. To read more about the Old Testament prophet visit Wikipedia and Bible Study Tools.
Venue details
St. Ambrose Church
72 West Cliff Road
BH4 8BE
UK