Northampton, MA—Saturday, March 7 at 8:00 PM marks the annual collaborative Oratorio concert! The Smith College Choirs, Jonathan Hirsh and Joseph Baldwin, Directors, welcome the Pennsylvania State University Men's Glee Club, Christopher Kiver, Director, in the collaborative performance of Mendelssohn's "Elijah". Soloists include Karen Smith-Emerson, soprano; Justina Golden, mezzo-soprano; William Hite, tenor; Jonathan Lasch, bass-baritone.

Felix Mendelssohn's last major work, Elijah, received its premiere in Birmingham, England on August 26, 1846, just days after the composer wrote the final notes of this towering masterpiece. Although strongly influened by Bach's St. Matthew Passion and Handel's Messiah, both of which were well known to Mendelssohn, Elijah is firmly rooted in the 19th century romantic style. An oratorio, a genre that developed as a result of the church's prohibition of opera performances during lent, tells a biblical story, presented in a music-drama style. Mendelssohn's Elijah tells several well known stories of the Prophet and the Israelites with soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists representing the various characters and the choir portraying the Israelites.

The Pennsylvania State University Men's Glee Club is directed by Christopher Kiver. The Glee Club is Penn State's oldest musical organization and is composed of 60-80 singers from all majors in the University. The ensemble was founded in 1888, and since its first spring tour in March of 1889, the Glee Club has toured throughout the United States and abroad, with recent tours to Wales, Trinidad and Tobago, France, and California. The Glee Club sings music for men's voices from the 16th to the 20th centuries, including sacred and secular works, folksongs from around the world, African American spirituals, traditional college songs, and songs of Penn State. Also performing during Glee Club concerts are two small ensembles: the Hi-Lo's, a specialty group founded in 1933 to perform madrigals, glees and popular songs; and the Varsity Quartet, dating from the 1920's, performing barbershop standards.

Jonathan Hirsh, Joseph Baldwin, and Christopher Kiver, conductors. Spring Oratorio will take place at John M. Greene Hall, located at 70 Elm Street on the Smith College Campus. Advance tickets are $5 General Admission, and tickets sold at the door are $10 General Admission. Tickets are free for Smith students. Tickets are available at www.elijah.brownpapertickets.com.