Swansea Philharmonic Choir: Elgar's 'The Dream of Gerontius'

Swansea Philharmonic Choir are performing Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius at Brangwyn Hall on Saturday 5 December. It's a big one for them: the choir will be joined by a full orchestra and distinguished soloists, all under the direction of Jonathan Rogers.

If you're not familiar with the piece, it's widely regarded as one of the greatest choral works ever composed in these isles. It's set to Cardinal John Newman's deeply moving poem, which traces a soul's journey from death to its encounter with the divine. It's a heavy subject, but that's where the power of it lies, and the performance is billed as a highlight of the choral season.

For a bit of context on the choir itself, the Swansea Philharmonic Choir was founded in 1959 under the baton of Dr Haydn James, a leading figure in Welsh choral music. Its mission from the start was to raise the standard of choral singing in Wales and to perform less familiar music alongside the choral classics. It enjoyed around 30 years of musical leadership under Clive John, and Jonathan Rogers has been at the helm since 2015. Now a mixed choir of about 100 singers, its repertoire runs from the Renaissance and Baroque right through to the 21st century, so The Dream of Gerontius sits right in the middle of the kind of work they do.

The concert starts at 7.30 pm at Neuadd Y Brangwyn Hall, Guildhall, SA1 4PE. Tickets are £15, £20 and £25, with full-time student tickets at £10.