Benjamin Britten’s The War Requiem, Op. 66 (1961–1962), is a work for soprano, tenor and baritone soloists, mixed choir, children’s choir and orchestra. Premiered in 1962 during the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral, the piece combines the Latin liturgical text of the requiem mass with English poems by war writer and poet Wilfred Owen.

Structured in six sections, the piece alternates traditional mass movements such as Kyrie, Dies irae and Agnus Dei with Owen’s verses, which address the brutality and loss of war. Liturgical texts will be performed alongside poems, creating a dialogue between the sacred and the human.

General director: Aurora Cárdenas

Orchestration director: Jesús Almanza

Choral director: Isabel Rico

Artists

Jesús Almanza

General manager of the Salón Los Ángeles | Tamaulipas

Isabel Rico

Guanajuato

Coro Infantil del Conservatorio de Celaya

Guanajuato

Coro Juvenil del Conservatorio de Celaya

Guanajuato

Press quotes

“‘The most epic part of the work takes place in the second act, where it’s incredibly moving to witness passages from our history and see such beloved characters. For me personally, it was a great challenge to set to music a libretto that touches on such important moments of our history’.”

Marisol García Lugo. AM

“A story of struggle, love, and freedom is what Ópera Tresguerras projects. It will be staged at the Teatro del Bicentenario on 1 and 2 March, featuring a high-quality production made entirely in Guanajuato. This Mexican opera scores key historical moments in the fight for the nation’s independence and is also a passage through the life of a city.”

Marisol García Lugo. AM

“The War Requiem, Op. 66 (1961–1962), for soprano, tenor, and baritone soloists, mixed choir, children's choir, and orchestra, by Benjamin Britten (1913–1976), intersperses sections of the Latin Requiem Mass, sung by the choirs and the soprano soloist, with English texts from nine poems by writer Wilfred Owen (1893–1918), performed by the tenor and baritone soloists.”

Information provided by Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil Silvestre Revueltas

“Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil Silvestre Revueltas, based at Conservatorio de Música y Artes de Celaya, was founded in 2005 and since then has brought together talented young musicians. Their challenge has been to organise two annual seasons featuring a high-level repertoire that includes soloists from regional, national and international backgrounds.”

Secretaría de Cultura

[...] although the artists are young students (Orquesta Sinfónica Silvestre Revueltas), they perform their role with professionalism, as they have experience on stage.”

Marisol García Lugo, AM