Mendelssohn's Elijah

Saturday 26 October 2024 6.00pm
Alexandra Palace Theatre, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY

Mendelssohn Elijah

Ana Beard Fernández soprano
Marta Fontanals-Simmons mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Mulroy tenor
James Platt bass
Florence Price treble
London Orchestra da Camera
Crouch End Festival Chorus
David Temple conductor

Felix Mendelssohn, who was only 38 when he died in 1847, conducted the first performance of Elijah a year earlier in Birmingham Town Hall. It soon became one of the greatest oratorios of all time, with its dramatic narrative of Elijah vanquishing the false prophets of Baal and bringing back rain to the “thirsty land” before riding off on his chariot of fire.

Here, Elijah is a belligerent character who teases the prophets of Baal before he wins the day. In this performance, the role will be sung by the beautifully sonorous James Platt with his “barrel-chest of a bass voice” (The Times).

The choruses are full of contrasting emotions, vivid storytelling, and extreme dynamism, playing to the strengths of Crouch End Festival Chorus and its conductor, David Temple.

Mendelssohn's Elijah

Sunday 1 December 2024 6.00pm
Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ

Mendelssohn Elijah

Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha soprano
Angharad Lyddon mezzo-soprano
Adam Gilbert tenor
Sir Bryn Terfel bass-baritone
Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra
Crouch End Festival Chorus
John Lubbock conductor

Crouch End Festival Chorus join the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in the historic Sheldonian Theatre to perform Mendelssohn's Elijah, Opus 70 (sung in English).  Sir Bryn Terfel is Elijah in this performance at the Sheldonian Theatre uniting soloists, the Crouch End Festival Chorus and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra.

Home Alone in Concert

Saturday 7 December 2024 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP

Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Anthony Gabriele conductor

This beloved festive favourite features renowned composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score performed live to picture by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus. Since its debut in 2013, Home Alone in Concert has become a seasonal favourite with orchestras and audiences around the world! Nominated for two Academy Awards® for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (Somewhere in My Memory) Home Alone is hilarious, heart-warming festive fun for the entire family!

Christmas with Kings

Friday 20 December 2024 7.30pm
Barbican Hall, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS

Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Philharmonia Orchestra
Daniel Hyde conductor

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge comes to The Barbican to herald the Christmas season, joined on stage by the superb Crouch End Festival Chorus.

A glorious programme of festive classics includes a sublime selection of carols performed by the angelic voices of the chapel choristers as well as carols for all.

Sing Christmas!

Saturday 21 December 2024 4.00pm & 7.30pm
St Michael's Church, South Grove, London N6 6BJ

Crouch End Festival Chorus
Peter Jaekel organ/piano
David Temple conductor

Join us for a heartwarming and enchanting evening of festive music at our annual Christmas Concert.  Immerse yourself in the spirit of Christmas as Crouch End Festival Chorus perform a delightful repertoire of traditional carols and festive music to captivate and uplift you. From timeless classics to modern favourites, it will evoke joy, nostalgia, and bring the magic of the Christmas season to you and your family and friends.

Verdi Requiem

Saturday 25 January 2025 7.00pm
Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ

Verdi Requiem

Lauren Fagan soprano
Maria Schellenberg mezzo-soprano
David Junghoon Kim tenor
Blaise Malaba bass
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Marios Papadopoulos conductor

World-class soloists the massed voices of the CEFC and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra gather for Verdi’s soul-stirring work. There is no more dramatic setting of the Requiem Mass in the repertory than Giuseppe Verdi’s, written to commemorate friends but giving full voice to the composer’s theatrical instincts and vivid response to religious imagery and poetry.

World O World

Saturday 1 February 2025 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Church, Sloane St, London SW1X 9BZ

Victoria Poleva David's Psalm
Paul Patterson Time Piece
Arvo Pärt Fratres
Barber Agnus Dei
Tavener Prayer of the Heart 
Grace-Evangeline Mason A Memory of the Ocean
Jacob Collier World O World

Crouch End Festival Chorus
The Chamber Players
David Temple conductor

Crouch End Festival Chorus returns to Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, for a programme of works – both a cappella and accompanied by string quartet. Jacob Collier’s recent World O World is the climax of this extraordinary concert by Crouch End Festival Chorus under its conductor, David Temple. The programme also features A Memory of the Ocean for choir, piano and cello by young composer Grace-Evangeline Mason and a beautifully hypnotic work by Ukrainian composer Victoria Poleva, David’s Psalm. Paul Patterson’s exciting, characterful Time Piece was originally composed for The King’s Singers in the 1970s and has been arranged by him especially for CEFC. With works by Arvo Pärt, John Tavener and Samuel Barber too, this is a rare feast of choral treats.

Beethoven Missa Solemnis

Sunday 13 April 2025 6.00pm
Alexandra Palace Theatre, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY

Beethoven Missa Solemnis

Sarah Tynan soprano
Judy Louie Brown mezzo-soprano
Benjamin Hulett tenor
Neal Davies baritone
The Hanover Band
Crouch End Festival Chorus
David Temple conductor

It was in the latter part of Beethoven’s life, when his deafness was profound, that he composed his monumental Missa Solemnis.  The choral writing, with extremes of dynamics and speed, is amongst the most virtuosic in the entire choral repertoire, and it is only choirs of great power, flexibility and musicianship that can deliver it. With this Mass he achieved a new musical, dramatic and liturgical synthesis – an apotheosis comparable to that of his Ninth Symphony. It is an enigmatic work, with an underlying programmatic structure that suggests ‘hovering guardian angels’ and contemporary invasions and battles – and it is for the performers to reveal this imagery and architecture. 

Andrea Bocelli 30th Anniversary Tour

Thursday 1 & Friday 2 May 2025 8.00pm
The O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX

Andrea Bocelli
Aida Garifullina soprano
Pia Toscano singer
Rusanda Panfili violin
Andrea Griminelli flute
Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Carlo Bernini conductor

Andrea Bocelli is the most successful classical artist of all time, with worldwide record sales of nearly 90 million. He has been entertaining audiences for 30 years, and performed for popes, presidents and royalty. The UK and Ireland leg of his 30th Anniversary Tour culminates in two spectacular shows at London's iconic O2 Arena.

Worlds of Fantasy: Video Games in Concert

Wednesday 4 June 2025 7.30pm
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Aisling McGlynn vocalist
Eímear Noone conductor

Leap into the fantastical realm of video game music at the Royal Albert Hall.  Experience the sound worlds and signature themes from generations of classic games including Civilisation, The Last of Us, Castlevania, Fortnite, Baldur's Gate, Halo and many more.

Karl Jenkins conducts The Armed Man

Saturday 7 June 2025 2.30pm
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Katherine Rudge mezzo-soprano
Zands Duggan hand percussion
Osama Kiwan muezzin
Sir Karl Jenkins conductor

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, Welsh multi-instrumentalist Sir Karl Jenkins conducts his iconic composition The Armed Man and a selection of his most loved works including excepts from Symphonic Adiemus and the world premiere of Palladio Reimagined (Allegretto).

Fauré Requiem

Saturday 5 July 2025 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street, London SW1 9BZ

Judith Weir All the Ends of the Earth
Janáček Otčenáš 
Bernstein Chichester Psalms
Fauré Requiem

Sarah Tynan soprano
Judy Louie Brown mezzo-soprano
Benjamin Hulett tenor
Neal Davies baritone
The Hanover Band
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Zoë Brookshaw soprano
Fellix Kemp baritone
Sally Pryce harp
Simon Blendis violin
Sarah Butcher cello
Peter Jaekel organ
David Temple Conductor

This unusually eclectic, carefully crafted programme – in which all four works feature a harp – is designed not only to present four inspiring choral works but also to showcase the versatility of Crouch End Festival Chorus, who, under the direction of David Temple, consistently excel in a breathtaking variety of repertoire.

Our concert will open with Otčenáš (‘Our Father’) for choir, harp and organ – a distinctively personal and powerful expression of the prayer. Prompted by a set of paintings, it was written in response to a request from the trustees of a women’s shelter in Brno. In setting these words in 1901, Janáček’s faith was directed primarily towards a sense of society and community.

Judith Weir's ethereal, thought-provoking All the Ends of the Earth fuses ancient and modern. A captivating tapestry of choral textures and harmonies is woven from a sparse opening, punctuated by other-worldly sounds from harp and percussion. 

The dial is turned up for Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, which bursts out of a declamatory opening with youthful energy and rhythmic vitality. Occasionally virtuosic and featuring one of the most beautiful treble solos, it is an irresistible firecracker of a piece.

The evening concludes with the beloved Requiem by Fauré in David Hill’s intimate arrangement. Scored for choir, violin, cello, harp and organ, it strips away the full orchestral sound to reveal the work’s inner beauty and spiritual essence. Experience Fauré’s ‘lullaby of death’ in a new light – serene, comforting and crystal clear.