Britten's War Requiem
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Britten: 15 facts about the great composer
11. Britten's War Requiem
The War Requiem, first performed on 30 May 1962, is among the most famous of Britten's works. It was commissioned to mark the consecration of Coventry Cathedral, which was rebuilt following a bombing raid in World War II. The music sets the traditional Latin text of the Requiem Mass alongside war poetry by Wilfred Owen.