Wells Cathedral is venue for Choral Society performance

This year’s eagerly anticipated performance of the Sherborne Schools’ Choral Society takes place in the grand venue of Wells Cathedral on Friday 8 February at 7.30pm when they will perform Verdi’s Requiem.

Mr John Jenkins, Director of Music at Sherborne Girls, explained:

“As much as they love singing in Sherborne’s beautiful Abbey, from time to time a large-scale work such as the Requiem demands an even more spacious venue, hence this year’s move to Wells.

“Composed in 1874, the Requiem is one of the best-loved works in the choral repertoire, its moods ranging from haunting simplicity to earth-shattering drama. Indeed, the four off-stage trumpets placed high up in the Cathedral’s West End Gallery should produce a particularly thrilling effect in the famous Tuba mirum passage. The music throughout bears all the hallmarks of Verdi’s genius as one of the greatest operatic composers, full of wonderful melodies and intensely colourful orchestration.”

The combined choir is made up of some 80 sopranos and altos from Sherborne Girls alongside 50 Sherborne School tenors and basses and a loyal contingent of 70 adult choristers. They will be accompanied by a professional 60-strong orchestra comprising of some of the country’s leading instrumentalists. The all-important solo roles will be taken by opera stars: Emily Blanch (soprano), Melanie Armitstead (mezzo-soprano), Daniel Norman (tenor) and Edward Grint (bass).

Tickets for this performance are available from Sherborne School Box Office on 01935 812249 or [email protected]