War Requiem - ENO Tickets

Welcome to War Requiem, Benjamin Britten's awesome choral piece marking WW1. World War One was one of the deadliest wars in human history. In total more than 41 million people were affected, with over 18 million deaths and 23 million people injured. Communities were divided. Generations were split apart. Countries were shattered. Britten wasn't alone in wondering whether a world so badly broken by war could ever make peace with itself.

His masterpiece is sung in both English and Latin, and there are subtitles projected above the stage so everyone knows the story. It is without a doubt one of the last century's finest choral works, a piece where the composer cleverly juxtaposes Wilfred Owen's powerful anti-war poems with the ancient Christian Latin Requiem Mass. The result is quite extraordinary, widely billed as a “passionate outcry against man’s inhumanity to man”.

But there's more. The production team is joined by Turner Prize winning artist and designer Wolfgang Tillmans, who is acting as designer on this, his ENO debut. The ENO's Music Director Martyn Brabbins is the conductor for this brand new production. And the respected ENO Artistic Director Daniel Kramer has created some remarkable contemporary staging as a backdrop, reflecting the grief generated by the extraordinary levels of slaughter that took place in WW1, yet offering us a welcome spark of hope for the future.

Benjamin Britten wrote his masterpiece from 1961 through to January 1962, more than forty years after Wilfrid Owen's death. A chorus of more than 80 people perform the piece, plus a children’s choir of 40 kids from the local Finchley Children’s Music Group. They're joined by the complete ENO Orchestra, another orchestra, this time a chamber orchestra, and three soloists: Emma Bell, Soprano, plus David Butt Philip, Tenor, and Roderick Williams, Baritone. Wow.

The rest of the creative team comprise Justin Nardella as Associate Designer, Nasir Mazhar as Costume Designer, Charles Balfour as Lighting Designer, and Ann Yee as Choreographer.

Who is this show for?
This production is grave, thoughtful, inspiring and very, very beautiful. It's searing, soaring and emotionally charged. Everyone loves great music. As long as you're aged over ten years you'll be very welcome.