‘ELIJAH’ ORATORIO

Evening Star, Issue 18627, 7 May 1924, Page 5

‘ELIJAH ’ ORATORIO

If a vote were taken as to which chorus an audience preferred, ‘ The Messiah ’ or 1 Elijah,’ the voting would be very close. Many will remember, with pleasurable memory, the performance of this great work of Mendelssohn’s by the Sheffield Choir,in 1911, when, assisted by a local auxiliary chorus, it was given in the tram sheds. Later, on August 15, 1919, it was given with, very great success by the Dunedin .Choral Society, who_ will again present it in His Majesty’s Theatre on Wednesday and Thursday of next week. Before the libretto was decided upon some controversy took place between the composer and some friends, one of whom objected to the dramatic element. The eminent composer said: “ With regard to the dramatic element, there still seems to be a diversity of opinion between us. With a subject like ‘ Elijah ’ it appears to me that the dramatic element should predominate. The should act and speak as if they were living beings—a real world, such as you find in every chapter of the Old Testament—and the contemplative and pathetic element ought to be entirely conveyed to our understanding by the words and mood of the acting personages ” (soloists, chorus, and orchestra). Our local Choral Society may be depended upon to give a thoroughlyrehearsed interpretation of this work next week. The box plan for honorary members opens at Tho Bristol Piano Company’s on Friday mornings,