Mendelssohn's Elijah: 2026 Performances Worldwide
By Felix Mendelssohn · March 25, 2026
The portal tracks 28 oratorio events worldwide, with Mendelssohn’s Elijah (op. 70) accounting for the majority of programmed performances. Elijah premiered in Birmingham on August 26, 1846, with Mendelssohn himself conducting. It remains one of the most performed choral works in the oratorio tradition. This article covers 2026 performances drawn from the portal’s database.
About the Work
Elijah is a large-scale oratorio for four soloists, chorus, and orchestra. The libretto, drawn from the Books of Kings and Psalms, tells the story of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. The work is structured in two parts and runs approximately 130 to 150 minutes in performance.
The baritone role of Elijah is one of the most demanding in the oratorio repertoire. Notable numbers include “It Is Enough” (Elijah’s lament), the chorus “He Watching Over Israel,” and the final ascension scene. The work requires a large chorus and is typically performed by choral societies, cathedral choirs, and professional ensembles with orchestra.
2026 Performances
United States
Tower Chorale — La Grange, Illinois (March 8). The Tower Chorale presents a full performance of Elijah in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Mendelssohn’s Epic Elijah — Palo Alto, California (March 15). A performance in the San Francisco Bay Area. Palo Alto’s concert venues have hosted multiple Mendelssohn programs in 2026.
Mendelssohn’s Elijah — Louisville, Kentucky (March 22). Louisville’s choral community programs Elijah in the spring concert season.
ELIJAH by Felix Mendelssohn — Houston, Texas (April 12). One of the later-spring performances in the American calendar.
United Kingdom
Mendelssohn — Elijah — Derby (March 14). The Midlands city hosts a choral society performance of Elijah in mid-March.
Otley and Ilkley Choral Societies — Otley (March 14). Two Yorkshire choral societies collaborate for a joint Elijah performance.
Mendelssohn — Elijah — Worcester (March 21). Worcester’s choral tradition is long-established, and the Three Choirs region is an active location for oratorio performance.
Germany
Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Lobgesang op. 52 — Berlin (February 22). Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise), op. 52, is a related large-scale choral work — not the Elijah, but a symphony-cantata hybrid that shares the Elijah’s scale and forces.
Elias — Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy — Berlin (March 22). A performance of the complete Elijah (titled Elias in German) in Berlin.
Mendelssohn Lobgesang — Bad Kissingen (May 3). A spring performance at the Bad Kissingen concert hall.
Mendelssohn ELIAS — Borken (May 8). A choral society performance of the complete oratorio.
Canada
Mendelssohn’s Elijah — Ontario (March 8). A performance coinciding with the March 8 cluster of Elijah performances in North America.
Sweden
Mendelssohn: Oratoriet Christus och mer — Stockholm (March 8). Stockholm programs Mendelssohn’s Christus (op. 97, an unfinished oratorio) alongside related works. Sweden lists 5 Mendelssohn events in total.
Other Countries
Tower Chorale presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah — La Grange, US (March 8). [Listed above under United States.]
Lobgesang op. 52 — Ascoli Piceno, Italy (March 23). Italy has one oratorio listing — a Lobgesang performance in central Italy.
Elijah — Budapest, Hungary (March 29). A performance of material related to the Elijah and Bach’s Matthew Passion programmed together.
Finding Oratorio Events
The portal’s category page for “oratorio” lists all tracked Mendelssohn oratorio events by date. Country and city location pages also display event type breakdowns. The oratorio category is the second largest in the database after concerts, with 28 events across multiple countries.
Data from Felix Mendelssohn portal. 155 events tracked across 20 countries.