Verdi's immortal and irresistible masterpiece is in a league of its own.

When the great Italian poet and patriot Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, the composer Giuseppe Verdi felt moved ‘to honour, as best I could, this great man whom I held in such high esteem.’ Five years earlier, the Italian opera composer and national icon had written a short ‘Libera me’ in memory of his fellow composer Gioachino Rossini. Now Verdi had the impetus he needed to extend that work into a full Requiem Mass.

The result is the greatest setting of the Latin text ever written in Italy - a famously high-octane score for soloists, chorus and orchestra whose expression of grief, faith and judgment drew such dramatic music from its composer that some thought it unsuitable for performance in church.

A century and a half since its first premiere in Milan Cathedral, the Italian Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Jader Bignamini, comes to Bergen to lead two performances of Verdi’s unparalleled take on death, belief and redemption with world-class soloists and the combined forces of the Edvard Grieg Kor, Bergen Philharmonic Chorus and Collegium Musicum Choir.

Jader Bignamini - conductor
Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha - soprano
Karen Cargill - mezzo-soprano
Saimir Pirgu - tenor
Riccardo Zanellato - bass

Bergen Philharmonic Chorus
Collegium Musicum Chorus
Edvard Grieg Kor
Håkon Matti Skrede - chorus master

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Giuseppe Verdi - Messa da Requiem

Related concert recordings at Bergenphilive:
Giuseppe Verdi: Messa de Requiem
Giuseppe Verdi: La forza del destino, overture