Duruflé Requiem

Join us for an evening of French and English choral masterworks that explore the spiritual, the poetic, and the transcendent. The programme opens with Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, a quirky and imaginative setting of text by the 18th-century poet Christopher Smart. Written while Smart was confined in an asylum, the poem is a unique outpouring of religious devotion. Britten’s setting captures its emotional extremes – from playful rhythms and whimsical solos to moments of deep pathos – all conveyed with his characteristic 20th century style.

In contrast, Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem offers a luminous vision of eternal peace. Rooted in the timeless melodies of Gregorian chant, Duruflé creates a deeply contemplative work that stands apart from the drama of many Romantic settings of this text. With rising star soloists from the Royal Academy of Music, this promises to be an evening of sensual vocal colour.