A 50-strong choir from the town of Tubingen, in Germany, is to team up with local musicians to deliver a stunning performance of Mozart’s Requiem in Durham Cathedral.
The choir, known as Semiseria, will perform Requiem in D Minor at the cathedral on November 4th. They will be accompanied by members of the Cobweb Orchestra (a community-based orchestra with groups across the north of England) and the County Durham Youth Orchestra.
Semiseria is a mixed-voice choir that has performed in countries such as France, Poland and Argentina.
It is hoped that the concert will strengthen the already strong links between Durham and Tubingen. The two areas have enjoyed an official partnership since 1969. As well as the choir performance, the relationship will be celebrated by a photography exhibition in the Pemberton Rooms on Palace Green, which will be held over the same weekend.
Further musical events are planned for next year. Saint John’s School Orchestra will visit Tubingen in July and the Durham Singers are due to participate in the Bachfest in October.
Requiem in D Minor is a composition for a funeral mass which was unfinished at the time of Mozart’s death. Semiseria will be performing the piece in early November because All Souls’ Day – when Christians traditionally honour the memories of the dead – occurs on November 2nd.
Cllr Ossie Johnson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for tourism, culture, leisure and rural issues, said, “We are delighted to welcome Semiseria to Durham for this joint performance with local musicians.”
“The event is just one example of the strong relationship between Durham and Tubingen and we are keen to continue this long into the future.”
Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor will be staged at Durham Cathedral on Saturday 4th November at 7.00 pm.
Tickets are priced at between £6.00 and £10.00. They can be purchased by going to www.galadurham.co.uk or phoning the Gala Theatre’s box office on 03000 266 600.
(Featured image courtesy of leuan Jenkins, from Flickr Creative Commons)
