Calvary Presbyterian Church is delighted to present Mendelssohn's crowning musical achievement, the glorious oratorio Elijah in a brand new English translation of the original German libretto by Music Director Michael Conley. The Calvary Chancel Choir will be joined by the San Francisco City Chorus (Larry Marrietta, Director), The San Francisco Academy Orchestra (Andrei Gorbatenko, Director), and soloists Arik Luck, Elijah (Cantor of Congregation Emanu-El), Kristin Clayton Knezevic, soprano, Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano, and John Bellemer, tenor.
Elijah brings to colorful life the most dramatic moments in the story of the biblical prophet, from his pronouncement of God's curse on the wayward Hebrew people, to bringing the poor widow's son back to life, to besting the idolatrous prophets of Baal with the bringing of fire from heaven, to calling down rain and ending the devastating drought, and finally bringing the people back to the true faith and ascending to heaven in a fiery chariot. Mendelssohn blesses every dramatic moment of this eventful score with unforgettable music full of passion, gorgeous melody, skillful orchestration, vivid characterization, and, above all, some of the finest choral writing in the whole canon of western music.
And please join us also on Monday, November 13th at 7 pm at Calvary Presbyterian Church, for a pre-concert lecture entitled "Becoming Elijah: From the Hebrew bible to Mendelssohn's oratorio" led by Dr. Daniel Matt, a prominent scholar of Jewish mysticism who taught for many years at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. Daniel’s biography of Elijah the Prophet was published in Yale’s series Jewish Lives: Becoming Elijah, Prophet of Transformation, awarded the inaugural Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Book Prize. This is a free event, co-sponsored by Congregation Emanu-El.