Aside from his operas, Verdi is best known for this extraordinary Requiem, written in memory of the Italian writer and nationalist Alessandro Manzoni. When Verdi and Manzoni met in 1848, Verdi described the experience as one of being in the presence "of a saint." After Manzoni died, Verdi wrote, "Now all is over! And with him ends...the greatest of our glories." It was for Manzoni that Verdi composed his Requiem.
The Requiem is unashamedly theatrical in style, with passages of great tenderness and simplicity contrasting with intensely dramatic sections. Writing at the time, the eminent conductor and pianist Hans von Bülow described it as ‘Verdi’s latest opera, in church vestments’. Brahms said "Verdi's Requiem is a work of genius".
From the terrified cry and dramatic power of the famous Dies Irae to the soprano’s hushed prayer in the Agnus Dei, this sacred work is a musical panorama of human hopes and fears created by a deeply compassionate man. Powerful and exciting, it is offset by heartbreakingly beautiful lyrical melodies, which leaves audience and performers alike with an overwhelming sense of having participated in a deeply emotional and moving experience.
Last performed by Chester Music Society in 2010, join Chester Music Society Choir, Liverpool Sinfonia, conductor Graham Jordan Ellis and their fine line up of soloists for this dramatic start to our concert season, with one of the finest works in the choral repertoire.