Preview - Berlioz Requiem at St Paul’s Cathedral
Published: 22 March, 2012
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
Fifty years ago, Berlioz’s magnificent Grande Messe des Morts was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Choir conducted by Colin Davis at St Paul’s Cathedral as part of the first City of London Festival in the summer of 1962.
Now the same team are doing it again and demand for tickets is expected to be so great that they are performing the piece two days in succession, on June 25 and 26.
And they’ve got none other than Barry Banks, one of the world’s finest tenors, to sing the solo tenor part in the Sanctus.
“Fifty years ago I had the pleasure of conducting Berlioz in the very first City of London Festival in 1962,” said Sir Colin, who is celebrating his 85th birthday later this year.
“So I’m delighted to be returning with the LSO to conduct the opening concerts of the 2012 Festival, marking the Festival’s Golden Jubilee with performances of the Berlioz Grande Messe. It’s a work ideally suited to the grandeur of the Cathedral and the special occasion of this anniversary.”
The piece is one of Berlioz’s most popular works. But it is rarely performed as it needs such a large orchestra and choir.
The LSO is turning up with well over 100 players comprising 60 strings, double woodwind, eight horns, 10 timpani, 10 percussion and, if that were not enough, four additional brass bands.
The LSO Choir of 300 singers will be split into four voice parts sited at different points under the dome, each with one of the brass bands.
In all, there are 3,250 tickets for the two concerts. But they’re selling fast and I urge early purchases to avoid disappointment.
• Berlioz Requiem, St Paul’s Cathedral, June 25 and 26, 8pm. Tickets (£5-£50) from The Barbican, Silk Street, EC2, 020 7638 8891, www.barbican.org.uk