[17
OCT 00] COVENTRY CATHEDRAL NEWS
Requiem To Mark Cathedral Bombing
Coventry
Cathedral is to mark the 60th anniversary of the bombing of the city
with a performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem.
The
piece, which was composed for the opening of the cathedral in 1962,
will take hundreds of musicians to perform it as it uses a full
orchestra, choir and chorus.
It
will be played on 14 November at 7.30pm in front of the West Screen,
with the ruins as a backdrop.
Earlier
in the day former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nation
Graf Hans von Sponeck will be presented with the Coventry
International Prize for Peace and Reconciliation.
The
prize, donated by Richard Branson, has now been running for two years,
and will be presented at 3.30pm in the ruins.
The
Cambridge University Musical Society will be providing the orchestra
for the event, and St Michael’s Singers will accompany them in the
chorus.
The
Choristers of Coventry cathedral will for the boys’ choir, while the
soloists are Julie Kennard, James Gilchrist and Stephen Varcoe. The
performance will be conducted by Stephen Cleobury.
Acting
Dean of the Cathedral, Stuart Beake, said:
”The
War Requiem is a powerful piece of music which means a great deal to
us, because it was composed for the rebuilding of the Cathedral.
“To
be able to perform this piece on the 60th anniversary of the
destruction of the old cathedral and so much of the city is a
wonderful opportunity.”
Tickets
for the concert are £16 and £12, with £2 off for concessions. A
donation has allowed some Coventry school children to get free entry,
and a Peugeot car will be auctioned off to raise money for the concert
and the improvement of disabled access in the cathedral.
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