80 years of peace: big anniversary of the War Requiem in Cologne!

80 years of peace: big anniversary of the War Requiem in Cologne!

On May 26, 2025, a significant performance of Benjamin Britten's "War Requiem" took place in the Cologne Philharmonic. This staging was organized on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and bundled the voices from several choirs, including the Cologne choir, the Rhenish chamber choir, the girls' choir at Cologne Cathedral as well as the Lewisham Choral Society and the Hackney Singers. A total of around 170 singers formed the overall choir and created a moving atmosphere.

originally “War Requiem” was premiered in 1962 for the inauguration of the modern cathedral of Coventry. This cathedral stands directly opposite the ruin of the Gothic cathedral, which was destroyed by German bombers during the Second World War in 1940. Britten wanted to send a message of peace and reconciliation with his work and to send thematized death, destruction and request "never again war".

unique composition with a profound message

"War Requiem" combines passages of Latin liturgy with poems by the British poet Wilfred Owen, who experienced the horrors of the First World War and fell shortly before the ceasefire. Owen's contributions reflect the horror of war and the human destinies that hide in it. Britten, himself a pacifist and refusal to do war, was inspired by these means and explained that a central message of his work was not to kill, even if you are treated unfairly. This becomes clear through the impressive texts and the musical design in "War Requiem".

The performance in Cologne not only showed the challenges of musical adaptation, but also the dynamic contrasts that Britten's composition marks. The choir and orchestra as well as the soprano Agnes Lipka conveyed mass scenes and the feeling of human -minded, while tenor Markus Franke and Bariton Thomas Laske expressed individual fates through their performance. A separate ensemble with string and wind quintet as well as harp, under the direction of co-conductor Dan Ludford-Thomas, provided exciting musical contrasts.

emotional intensity and cultural relevance

The dark bass lines accompanied the initial assets for eternal calm and peace, while the girl choir under the direction of Oliver Sperling transported hope with his bright voices. Highlights such as the piece "This Irae" escalated to war music, accompanied by powerful horn and trumpet fanfares. In the "Sanctus" a mixture of heavenly and earthly sound sounded, reinforced by metallic impact instruments.

"War Requiem" ends in a light major tone and leaves space for a message of hope that gets special urgency in view of the current wars in different countries such as Ukraine, the Gaza strip and Yemen. These topics show that Britten's masterpiece is both timeless and present.

The great applause of the spectators in the Cologne Philharmonic recognized the excellent performance of all involved and again illustrated the cultural importance of Britten's “War Requiem”, which has been perceived not only as a musical challenge over the years, but also as an urgent accusation against the barbarism of mankind.

"War Requiem" is considered Britten's masterpiece, which united traditional and modern elements and was already included in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2019. It remains an indispensable work that not only documents the horror of past wars, but also stimulates a contemporary discourse on peace.

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