mendelssohn paulus la laguna cathedral tenerife symphony

Mendelssohn’s ‘Paulus’ to Premiere in Canaries at La Laguna Cathedral

Historic Cathedral to Host Canary Islands Premiere

The Cathedral of La Laguna will host an extraordinary concert on Thursday, 26 March at 8:00 pm, featuring the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra performing Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio Paulus, one of the great choral works of German Romanticism. Under the direction of maestro Víctor Pablo Pérez, the orchestra will tackle this extensive score for the first time in the Canary Islands. The event is part of the ongoing collaboration between the Tenerife Island Council (Cabildo) and the Diocese of Tenerife (Diócesis Nivariense) to bring major works of sacred and symphonic-choral repertoire to this heritage space. Admission is free until capacity is reached.

Institutional Collaboration and Cultural Significance

The island’s Councillor for Culture, Museums and Sports, José Carlos Acha, highlighted that this concert strengthens institutional collaboration and forms part of the Tenerife Symphony’s intense and versatile annual programme. The president of the Insular Music Board noted that performing Paulus in the cathedral connects the orchestra’s artistic programming with the cultural context preceding Holy Week, within a space of great heritage and symbolic value.

A Work of Immense Artistic Demand

Víctor Pablo Pérez, honorary director of the Tenerife Symphony, emphasised the musical importance of the oratorio and the special nature of its performance for the orchestra. “It is a work of enormous artistic demand, both for the orchestra and for the choir and soloists, and represents a very special opportunity to highlight the work of all the musicians involved,” he explained. Pérez also stated that Paulus helps to champion the figure of Felix Mendelssohn, a fundamental composer of European Romanticism. “Mendelssohn recovers the choral tradition of Bach in this work and projects it towards the expressive language of the 19th century,” the director said, also recalling the German composer’s decisive role in the revival of Bach’s St Matthew Passion.

A Space for Prayer, Celebration and Beauty

The Dean of the Cathedral, Juan Pedro Rivero, expressed his great satisfaction that the diocese’s primary temple continues to host this traditional event in the lead-up to Holy Week. “The Cathedral of La Laguna is not just a historic or heritage building; it is a space that over the years has hosted prayer, celebration, and also the highest expression of beauty. Music is deeply part of that tradition. That is why we are especially pleased that, in this time close to Easter, we can host Mendelssohn’s oratorio Paulus, a work of great spiritual depth that musically recreates the figure of the Apostle Paul,” he underscored.

Featured Vocalists and Special Adapted Version

The performance will feature a prominent vocal ensemble comprising soprano Alicia Amo, mezzo-soprano Rinat Shaham—making her debut with the Tenerife Symphony—tenor Airam Hernández, and baritone Josep-Ramón Olivé. They will be joined by the Opera Chorus of Tenerife-Intermezzo, directed by Miguel Ángel Arqued, whose role is fundamental within the narrative development of this score. For this occasion, an adapted version of the oratorio will be offered, with an approximate duration of one hour and ten minutes, specially conceived for performance in the cathedral space.

Full Performance at the Auditorio de Tenerife

The complete version, with its 45 numbers divided into two parts, can be heard the following day, Friday 27 March at 7:30 pm, in the Auditorio de Tenerife, as part of the Tenerife Symphony’s subscription season. This concert is part of the collaboration maintained since 2014 between the Tenerife Symphony and La Laguna Cathedral, an initiative held each year close to Easter which has become one of the most significant events in the island’s cultural programming.

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