Soloist: Muller-Brachmann, Hanno

Soloist: Padmore, Mark

Soloist: Wall, Erin

Choir: City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus

Choir: City of Birmingham Symphony Youth Chorus

Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Nelsons, Andris

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Composer: Britten, Benjamin

War Requiem, Op. 66

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Venue: Coventry Cathedral

Date of Concert: 2012

Playing Time: 01:36:35

Television Director: Feudel, Ute

Catalogue Number: A02007392

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Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.