Verdi Requiem
November 19th 7.30 p.m.
Chapel of St Augustine, Tonbridge School
Tonbridge Philharmonic Society will open its 2022/23 season with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem written in 1873. Programmed by the Society a number of times, most notably for our 25th Anniversary Concert in May 1971. The operatic setting of the words of the Requiem Mass vies with Mozart’s version to be the most performed of all works in the choral canon. However this Requiem is considered too dramatic for use in a liturgical setting.
From its tense and quiet opening, a plea for eternal peace (and a challenge for any choir and orchestra), the Requiem builds into a muscular Dies Irae depicting the day of the last judgement.
Anna Patalong with Naomi Butcher (TPS Musical Director) at Verdi Requiem Choral workshop
Anna Patalong, Soprano, led the Society in a choral workshop that we hosted, jointly with the Royal Philharmonic Society, in May 2022. To our delight, Anna and her husband, Benedict Nelson, Baritone, have agreed to perform with us again. Anna and Ben both trained at the Guildhall and made their Royal Opera debuts in 2013. Described as “a powerful and dark hued soprano” by Opera Magazine, Anna has recently been appointed as Chief Executive of the British Youth Opera. We have no doubt that the involvement of this highly acclaimed couple will make the 19th November a night to remember.
