Giacomo Puccini’s "Requiem," written in 1905 to commemorate the famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) four years after his death, will have its U.S. premiere on December 3, 2010 at 8 P.M. at The Basilica of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, located at 263 Mulberry Street in New York City. Requiem will be performed by New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Drama Cantorum, under the direction of Ralph Affoumado, as part of the vocal ensemble’s winter concert, entitled "Gloria."
Giacomo Puccini’s Requiem, written in 1905 to commemorate the famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) four years after his death, will have its U.S. premiere on December 3, 2010 at 8 P.M. at The Basilica of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, located at 263 Mulberry Street in New York City. Requiem will be performed by New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Drama Cantorum, under the direction of Ralph Affoumado, as part of the vocal ensemble’s winter concert, entitled Gloria.
The rare score for Puccini’s “Requiem” was first introduced to Affoumado last year by Herbert Handt, conductor and musicologist. “After extensive research, we believe this glorious and amazing piece has never before been performed in the United States,” said Affoumado. “And I am thrilled the Drama Cantorum can be the first to debut it as part of our annual winter concert this year.”
Requiem is just under six minutes in length, and will use the original orchestration of Harmonium and viola. The concert will also include works by Bach, Praetorius, Bernstein, Bloch, and Gounod. In addition, four new works by student composers will be performed. This year’s concert will be dedicated to St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, which was recently named a Basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.
Date: Friday, December 3, 2010
Time: 8 P.M.
Place: The Basilica of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral
263 Mulberry Street (Prince and Mott Streets); subways: 6 (Spring St.); N,R (Prince)
Tickets sold at the door; $15 Adults, $7 students, children age 6 and under free. Doors open at 7:00 P.M. For ticket reservations, call 212.726.2079.
Media interested in covering the concert, please contact Richard Pierce at 212.998.6796 or richard.pierce@nyu.edu.