An oratorio is a long piece of music with a religious theme which is written for singers and an orchestra.
...Handel's oratorio 'Samson'.
oratorio in British English
(ˌɒrəˈtɔːrɪəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural-rios
a dramatic but unstaged musical composition for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, based on a religious theme
Word origin
C18: from Italian, literally: oratory2, referring to the Church of the Oratory at Rome where musical services were held
oratorio in American English
(ˌɔrəˈtɔriˌoʊ; ˌ ɑrəˈtɔriˌoʊ)
nounWord forms: pluralˌoraˈtoriˌos
a long, dramatic musical composition, usually on a religious theme, consisting ofarias, recitatives, choruses, etc. sung to orchestral accompaniment but without stage action, scenery, or costumes
Word origin
It, lit., small chapel (< LL(Ec) oratorium: see , sense oratory (sense 2)): from the performance of such compositions at the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri inRome
Examples of 'oratorio' in a sentence
oratorio
They also performed together in oratorio.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The bishop of London apparently agreed and prohibited the oratorio from being performed.
Christianity Today (2000)
The oratorio is performed again tonight; if you miss that, it is also being recorded.