Celebrating 100 Years of Britten with the CBSO

Last night – 28^th May 2013 – was the first of a series of much anticipated performances of War Requiem to celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of Benjamin Britten.

The life and work of Benjamin Britten and the history and performances of his pinnacle achievement – War Requiem – is a complicated web or fact, rumour, coincidence, love and of course, tears.

Coincidence has a particular prevalence; you might say there’s more than a touch of déjà vu. At the last minute (practically) before last night’s performance, soprano Kristine Opolais had to withdraw from the CBSO series of performances in England, Germany and France.

Unlike the political refusal by the Russian authorities of a visa that prevented Galina Vishnevskaya’s soprano performance at the première of War Requiem in Coventry Cathedral in 1964, the birth of Kristine’s first baby caused certain physiological changes to her voice. So, just as Heather Harper stood up superbly for Vishnevskaya in ’64 so Erin Wall replaces Opolais last night.

Heather Harper and Britten at rehearsals for the première of War Requiem in Coventry Cathedral 1964.

Watch the Golden Jubilee performance in the Cathedral on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khDzNCS2qP4

Erin Wall (left) bravely and superbly replaced Kristine Opolais at a very late stage for the CBSO Centenary celebrations of Benjamin Britten.

For the full story of War Requiem intrigue, coincidence and perhaps even a touch of unwritten ‘espionage’, read THE IDEA WAS GOOD by Michael Foster @ http://www.warrequiem.co.uk/

The CBSO Centenary celebrations of Benjamin Britten continue:

Friday 31^st May – Congress Centrum, Hannover.

Saturday 1^st June – Frauenkirche, Dresden.

Saturday 8^th June - Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris.

Please see www.cbso.co.uk for further concert and booking details.

www.warrequiem.co.uk