Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah, London Symphony Orchestra/Pappano, Barbican Hall, London EC2 .

4****: Clare Colvin

“Delivers the monumental goods.”

The opening of Mendelssohn’s bold and burnished Old Testament oratorio Elijah at the Barbican Hall began not with an overture but with a sudden shock in the lone dominant voice of bass-baritone Gerald Finley as he declared to the assembled Israelites in the massed chorus that God would punish them with an enduring drought for having worshipped false idols. With craggy appearance and beard, Finley resembled closely enough a stern biblical prophet, and his voice was magnificently dark and sonorous.

The oratorio was world premiered in Birmingham Town Hall in 1846, to popular acclaim, and particularly appealed to the Victorian mood of the era, but has been neglected in recent years. Sir Antonio Pappano, taking up his post as chief conductor of the LSO, has chosen the best singers available, whom he has worked with on other occasions during his years at the Royal Opera House, and truly delivered the goods. The combination of intelligence, talent and fine articulation made for one of the most gripping evenings possible. With the impressive mezzo Sarah Connolly as the Angel, the South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha passionately committed as the Widow who calls for her son to be healed, and tenor Allan Clayton as Obadiah, support to Elijah against his enemies. The child who witnesses the little cloud like a man’s hand that breaks the drought was treble Ewan Christian, Head chorister of Westminster Cathedral Choir.

Finley captured the rough-edged mockery of Elijah’s recitative: “Call him louder, for he is a god.” The humorous image of waking the sleeping god was rather cut short by Elijah’s exhortion to the Israelites to take all the prophets of Baal and not let any escape slaughter. Not one to take prisoners then, which was why the aria in Part Two “It is enough!” captured a deeply affecting note of regret from the aged prophet, leading to the reconciling parade of tempests, storms, earthquakes, and a still small voice by the chorus, “Behold God the Lord passed by”.

Sir Antonio Pappano conductor

Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha soprano

Dame Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano

Allan Clayton tenor

Gerald Finley bass-baritone

Ewan Christian treble

The Guildhall Singers

London Symphony Chorus

Mariana Rosas chorus director

London Symphony Orchestra

production pictures Mark Allan