Britten's War Requiem
Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, in all its sombre majesty, was performed at Coventry Cathedral in November 2012, on the 50th anniversary of its world premiere, which was streamed live on The Space.
In November 1940 Coventry Cathedral was destroyed by Nazi bombers. Twenty-two years later a magnificent new cathedral designed by Basil Spence was opened on a site next to the ruins of the old cathedral.
Britten’s War Requiem was written for the new cathedral and mixes the text of the Latin Requiem Mass with poems by Wilfred Owen, who died in the First World War.
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere in the cathedral and 50 years later, under the baton of music director Andris Nelsons, performed this great work again.
Pursuing the idea of international reconciliation, Britten conceived the work with three international soloists in mind and in this performance British tenor Mark Padmore, was joined by German baritone Hanno Müller-Brachmann and Canadian soprano Erin Wall.