2013 Concerts

Verdi Requiem

Saturday 18 May 2013

8.00 pm

St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds

Verdi  Requiem

Sarah Fox soprano

Valerie Reid mezzo-soprano

Michael Bracegirdle tenor

Tom Asher bass

Bury Bach Choir

with The Nayland Choir

Prometheus Orchestra

Philip Reed conductor

Verdi's much loved Messa da Requiem is unique among requiems, owing its flamboyant style to the lyric operas that Verdi composed with such passion. Overflowing with memorable melodies and penetrating emotion, the Requiem is acknowledged as one of the enduring 19th century choral masterpieces.

The ancient Latin funeral text, with its vast expressive range of sorrow, consolation, fear, hope, penitence and joy, is a mirror of human experience. Verdi’s love of drama makes this a work with universal appeal, keeping you riveted to your seat through the magnificent solos and richly composed chorales. Of the many highlights, the best known is without doubt the enthralling Dies Irae, guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine.

For this concert celebrating the 200th anniversary of Verdi's birth the Bury Bach Choir will be joined by the Nayland Choir to create a performance that is certain to raise the roof.

Ticket prices £23 and £16 reserved, and £13 and £10 unreserved.

Book early for the best reserved seats. Arrive early for the best unreserved seats.

Great Britten!

Saturday 16 November 2013

7.30 pm

St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds

Britten  St Nicolas

               Simple Symphony

               Hymn to the Virgin

               Te Deum in C major

Philip Salmon tenor 

Bury Bach Choir

Boy Choristers of St Edmundsbury Cathedral

                                               (director: James Thomas)

Girl Choristers of the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook

                                                (director: William Saunders)

Prometheus Orchestra

Philip Reed conductor

22 November 2013 marks the centenary of Suffolk-born composer Benjamin Britten’s birth. The Bury Bach Choir is joined by choristers from St Edmundsbury Cathedral and the Royal Hospital School, together with the Prometheus Orchestra, for a celebratory performance of Britten’s cantata St Nicolas. Composed in 1948 for Lancing College (Peter Pears’s old school), St Nicolas explores the saint’s life through music that is attractive, moving and dramatic. The audience even gets to take part!

The programme also includes two of his most popular youthful pieces – the Simple Symphony, based on childhood compositions, and Hymn to the Virgin, written in his final term at school – and a rare performance of the orchestral version of his powerful Te Deum in C major. 

This concert forms part of the Benjamin Britten Centenary festival in Bury St Edmunds, in association with St Edmundsbury Cathedral. The cathedral is presenting a Britten Festival Weekend on 1 – 3 November 2013, full details of which are available at stedscathedral.co.uk

Ticket prices £20 and £16 reserved, £12 unreserved.