Archbishop Desmond Tutu raps at St Paul's Cathedral
13/10/08
World premiere of Adrian Snell's ‘The Cry' in aid of Save the Children
St Paul's Cathedral is delighted to announce the world premiere of The Cry: A Requiem for the Lost Child, to be performed on Sunday 16 November 2008, in aid of Save the Children. Tickets are free but must be obtained in advance.
Composed by Adrian Snell, The Cry is a requiem to remember children across the world who have lost their lives or their childhood because of war, armed conflict or ethnic cleansing. There will be a retiring collection in aid of Save the Children.
Niamh Perry (BBC1's I'd do Anything) and opera singer Mark Stone are the lead vocalists and will be joined by solo violinist Jeanine Thorpe, the London Oriana Choir and the London Oratory School Schola for a performance that will be introduced by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. The performance will also feature a pre-recorded ‘rap' by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Archbishops Tutu's rap features the words of the holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel "I belong to a tradition that believes that the death of a single child is a blemish on creation".
Working within the Requiem structure, The Cry weaves together the authentic words of children who have suffered war, conflict and ethnic cleansing.
Composer Adrian Snell said, "The journey towards the Cry began in 1994 when I performed at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jersusalem. It's a deeply sorrowful yet beautiful place that reminds visitors of just how easily the seeds of prejudice are sown in all of us. We must never forget the terrible consequences of destroying young lives and the loss of what they might have brought to our world."
Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, "I'm delighted to be involved as a rapper for the premier of The Cry which gives these often forgotten victims of wars a voice that will lift the roof off St Paul's Cathedral! It's very good, too, that this special event will support the marvellous work of Save the Children around the world."
The Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, Canon Edmund Newell, says, ‘We're delighted that the premiere of The Cry will be at St Paul's to support the work of Save the Children. It's particularly appropriate that the performance takes place the week after Remembrance Sunday, as The Cry will make anyone stop and think hard about the often forgotten child victims of warfare. We hope it's the first of many performances worldwide.'
Jasmine Whitbread, CEO of Save the Children said: "Save the Children is delighted to be the charity partner for The Cry at St Paul's Cathedral, which remembers the thousands of children affected by war. Today there are over 300,000 children - some as young as seven - who are fighting in wars. Save the Children wants to stop children being recruited to fight. We are working round the clock helping former child-soldiers to reclaim their childhood, reunite them with their families or their relatives and help them to start re-building their lives. Thank you for helping us make this vital work possible."
The event has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of John Reynolds, Vice-President of Save the Children.
For more information, images and interviews contact Hannah Talbot, Press & Communications Officer, St Paul's Cathedral on 0207 246 8321 or email hannah@stpaulscathedral.org.uk
Notes to editors:
- Listings information
The Cry : A Requiem for Lost Children
Date and Time: Sunday 16 November 2008, 1800
Tickets: This is a free event but tickets must be obtained in advance.
Box office: Admission is by ticket only. Tickets are free and can be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to:
St Paul's is the cathedral church of the diocese of London, which it has served for over 1,400 years. The current building has become a potent symbol of the life of a nation and is also one of the world's most beautiful buildings. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the late seventeenth century, its stones have absorbed the hopes, fears, sorrows and joys of generations and stand as an enduring symbol of our communion with those gone before and those still to come. Each year nearly two million people flock to the Cathedral for services, concerts, debates, educational events, performing arts and sightseeing. All are most welcome.
Adrian Snell's musical career spans three decades. During this time he has produced seven major concept works and seventeen solo albums. He has received commissions for major compositions including The Virgin from the BBC, and has recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (The Passion) and the Dutch Metropole Orchestra. Television and radio credits include ITV and NCRV Holland's productions of The Passion, HTV's special musical documentary Song of an Exile (recorded at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, Jerusalem), and BBC Radio One's première broadcasts of The Passion and The Virgin. Adrian now combines composing, performing and recording with music therapy, working primarily with children with learning difficulties or behavioural problems.
