On Tuesday 1 August, Peter conducted the City of London Sinfonia in part one of Verdi’s Requiem in aid of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. A chorus of over 100 professional singers took part, with soloists Anne Sophie Duprels, Yvonne Howard, Neal Cooper and Barnaby Rea. Part two was conducted by Sian Edwards and all the performers donated their services to the Rugby Portobello Trust which is supporting those affected by the fire.
“The Chorus of one-hundred-and-twenty (including OHP principals and guest artists), with its crisp attack and disciplined singing, was exceptional. The sustained legato singing in quieter moments was a sensual delight, and diction was especially clear. The City of London Sinfonia was in blazing form. Under Robinson the music (including the lengthy ‘Dies irae’ section) was brisk and firmly controlled. We were left in stunned silence, with one of the longest silences ever before anyone thought to applaud.”
Guy Holloway, Classical Source
