CHORAL SOCIETY CELEBRATES MENDELSSOHN’S 200TH ANNIVERSARY – Ross-on-Wye Choral Society will be completing its 2008/2009 season with a performance of Mendelssohn’s rousing oratorio Elijah to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth.

From his first visit to England in 1829, Mendelssohn quickly became a favourite with the British public including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the first performance of Elijah took place in Birmingham in August 1846. It is fitting therefore that the society has invited young soloists from the Birmingham Conservatoire to join them in this concert. They are Lianne Birkett (soprano), Olivia Barry (contralto), Swedish tenor Mikael Onelius and, taking the title role, Brazilian bass baritone, Marlon Da Silva Maia. James Brown will be providing organ accompaniment and the performance will, as usual, be under the baton of conductor Ian Fox.

It promises to be one of the highlights of the Ross-on-Wye musical calendar and early booking is recommended.

The concert is on Saturday at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Parish Church. Tickets are priced at £15 (reserved), £10 (unreserved) and are available from the County Collection and Mervyn James in Ross-on-Wye and the Outback in Hereford, from the ticket secretary Sarah Weller on 01989 566326 and on the door. Reduced prices for parties of 10 or more are also available via the ticket secretary.