On Thursday, I went to listen to Mendelssohn’s Elijah in the CSO: I needed to replace two matinee concerts for which I was going to take my mom and which I couldn’t make because of my schedule changes. I hadn’t heard Elijah before and was slightly unsure how the two-and-a-half hours of oratorio would go with my mom (and with me, for that matter).
And it turned out to be two-and-a-half hours of such joy that it was almost difficult to keep being joyful 🙂
Mom loved it and said that she never thought Mendelssohn would write something like that :). As usual, she did find things to complain about, but that was minor.
The CSO has an Instagram post about this concert; you can scroll to see the pictures of the singers, but unfortunately, you can’t hear them. I didn’t find any recordings with this particular cast; if I will find it, I will add a link here.
I wondered why it was performed in English, and then I learned that its premier was in English and that there were both English and German versions from the start.
After a questionable Aida last week, it was such a delight! The impeccable voices, the moving music, and all the performers united by the great masterpiece – it couldn’t be better!
Hettie's Reflections 
Yes! I was there on Friday, and we had a code for $25 tickets on any level, I exchanged my ticket for the first row of the lower balcony. I could see the boy singing from there. It was actually a girl. It was so touching! Her teacher was sitting on the steps behind her, singing silently with her, participating completely.
These two and a half hours were so enjoyable and so easy. I was also worried before the concert, even considered leaving early to make the 9.32 Metra train.
I am glad I didn’t!
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