War Requiem 1991Edinburgh International Festival
Read more about the opera War Requiem
There is never any need for an excuse to perform this rather special masterpiece. However the Festival's biggest theme in 1991, spread through operas, concerts, drama and dance, was the joyous reaction to the recent demise of the Berlin Wall, followed by what, for some years at least, seemed to be a major thaw between East and West.
Two of the most popular singers working in Britain were here joined by a completely unknown Russian soprano, who turned out to be rather good. This was the perfect example of a rare and challenging work that Gibson and his orchestra were able to do at the Festival but might be resisted during the orchestra's winter season.
By the way, for a few months after the award of its Royal Charter, the SNO was known as the RSO or Royal Scottish Orchestra. The loss of the term National was unpopular in some quarters and was quickly restored.
