Name: Britten's War Requiem
Start: 2026-05-09T19:30:00-04:00
Location: Warner Theatre

The traditional Latin mass for the dead is combined with nine poems about war written by English poet Wilfred Owen who was killed in action just one week before the World War I armistice. The premiere was held in a cathedral that had been destroyed during the bombing raids on London in World War II. It intended to feature vocal soloists from England, Germany, and the Soviet Union, but the Soviet soloist could not attend the premiere. Composer Benjamin Britten asked that no applause follow the premiere.
Britten's War Requiem was immediately considered a contemporary masterpiece. Daniel Meyer, the orchestra, and the Erie Philharmonic Chorus will offer a world-class performance of this important piece.