A live concert is the culmination of hours of rehearsals which audience members are blissfully unaware of when enjoying the performance. An exciting collaboration between two long established Ipswich Societies will highlight the work involved with staging a very special concert at Snape in April 2017.
Ipswich Choral Society has begun work on Mendelssohn’s popular oratorio Elijah with rehearsals being caught on camera by members of Ipswich and District Photographic Society. An exhibition will be held at Snape Malting Concert Hall on 29 April showcasing the best photos from rehearsals and the Elijah performance in Halifax.
Add to this, a collaboration with the oldest Choral Society in the World, and there is the making of a very special experience. Halifax Choral Society, founded in 1817, celebrates its 200th anniversary this year and will be performing Elijah with Ipswich Choral Society at the Snape concert as well as a performance in Halifax on 19th March.
Members from Ipswich and District Photographic Society will be travelling up to Yorkshire with Ipswich Choral Society to also record the pre-concert rehearsal and concert itself on film at The Victoria Theatre in Halifax. These photographs will be part of the Snape exhibition too.
Premièred in 1846 at the Birmingham Festival, Elijah has been a popular piece within the British choral repertory and performed countless times. In 1947, a performance of Elijah was given by Ipswich Choral Society for the centenary of Mendelssohn’s death and soloists included soprano Isobel Baillie and contralto Kathleen Ferrier. In 1980, Ipswich Choral Society performed Elijah at Christchurch in Ipswich with then up-and-coming soprano soloist, Lesley Garrett.
Ipswich Choral Society are delighted to be working with the popular local soprano Claire Weston, alto Susan Moore, tenor James Elliott and baritone Garry Magee for the Elijah concert with the Kingfisher Sinfonietta, led by Beth Spendlove accompanying. In total there will be over 200 singers and musicians on stage, and in charge of them all will be Ipswich Choral Society’s Music Director, Robin Walker. It will be Robin’s Snape conducting debut for this momentous concert.
Ipswich Choral Society presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah
Saturday 29 April 2017, 7.30pm
Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Snape, Suffolk IP17 1SP
- Ipswich Choral Society with special guests Halifax Choral Society
- Conductor: Robin Walker, ICS Music Director
- Soprano: Claire Weston
- Contralto: Susan Moore
- Tenor: James Elliott
- Baritone: Garry Magee
- Kingfisher Sinfonietta, leader Beth Spendlove
In collaboration with Ipswich and District Photographic Society
Tickets: £16, £18, £20 (students £8)
Available direct from ICS members or Snape Maltings Box Office 01728 687110 or snapemaltings.co.uk
