Bryn Terfel joins the Royal Choral Society to sing Britten's War Requiem
Soloists Bryn Terfel, Evelina Dobraceva (replacing Ekaterina Scherbachenko) and Stefan Rügamer join the RCS and London Philharmonic Orchestra to mark Remembrance Sunday and raise money for Veterans Aid.
On Remembrance Sunday - 9 November 2014 - at the Royal Albert Hall, to mark the centenary of the First World War, the Royal Choral Society (RCS) presents Benjamin Britten's War Requiem.
Accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Trinity Boys Choir, the RCS will be joined by international soloists Bryn Terfel, Stephan Rügamer and Evelina Dobraceva (standing in at the last minute for Ekaterina Scherbachenko, who is unwell). The conductor is Richard Cooke.
Written in 1961, Britten's War Requiem was inspired by the poems of Wilfred Owen who was killed in action on 4 November 1918, just days before the Armistice. The War Requiem profoundly weaves together nine of Owen’s most poignant poems, including Anthem for Doomed Youth and Strange Meeting, with the traditional Latin Mass.
For the 1962 premiere in Coventry Cathedral, Britten nurtured the spirit of reconciliation between former warring nations, intending that the soloists should come from the three main protagonists – Russia, Germany and Great Britain. The performance on Remembrance Sunday 2014 brings together these three nations represented by international soloists: British bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, German tenor Stephan Rügamer and Russian soprano Evelina Dobraceva.
Whilst remembering those who sacrificed their lives 100 years ago, funds raised from the concert will go to Veterans Aid, a remarkable charity providing today’s ex-servicemen and women in crisis with immediate support and with extraordinary effectiveness. The concert, organised in collaboration with The Lady R Foundation, matches music, occasion and charitable cause, making it a unique event in this centenary year.
9th November 2014, 3.30pm
Royal Albert Hall
Royal Choral Society
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Trinity Boys Choir
Evelina Dobraceva
Stephan Rügamer
Bryn Terfel
Richard Cooke conductor
Tickets start at £16.79 (including all booking fees) and are available from:
Royal Albert Hall Box office: 0845 401 5045
This concert is promoted by the Royal Choral Society in collaboration with the Lady R Foundation; proceeds will be donated to Veterans Aid.
