On the eve of Spain’s celebration of Holy Week, the Sinfónica de Tenerife and its honorary conductor, Víctor Pablo Pérez, invite spectators to participate in a solemn reflection through Mendelssohn’s oratorio, St. Paul.

Based on Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul tells the story of Saul of Tarsus, an early persecutor of the first followers of Jesus Christ. After having a vision on the road to Damascus, he underwent a radical transformation and was known thereafter as Paul the Apostle. The oratory recounts his fall, spiritual blindness, conversion and evangelising mission in a journey that is not only a religious experience but a profound portrayal of the inner struggle of man.

With this work, Mendelssohn redesigned oratory for the 19th century. By joining Bach’s spiritual architecture with the emotional language of Romanticism, he transformed a biblical narrative into an experience that is alive, intense and profoundly human. Conductor Víctor Pablo Pérez guides this programme with the depth of spirit and conviction required by the monumental score, accompanied by a first-rate vocal cast: Alicia Amo (soprano), Rinat Shaham (mezzo-soprano), Airam Hernández (tenor) and Josep-Ramón Olivé (baritone).