From July 17 to 19, the Israel Vocal Ensemble will present the final concert program of the 2025–2026 season. The concerts will feature Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem, one of the masterpieces of world classical music.
This time, the work will be performed in a chamber version arranged by German conductor Michael Betzner-Brandt. The program will be held in the cities of Ra'anana, Haifa, and Tel Aviv, and will also be broadcast online. The concerts will be conducted by Yuval Ben-Ozer.
The main feature of the chamber version is that instead of a large symphony orchestra, only five musicians will perform: piano, marimba, French horn, double bass, and percussion. The parts for the choir and soloists have been kept in their original form. This approach allows the audience to experience the performance of the choir and soloists more closely and emotionally.
Giuseppe Verdi originally dedicated his Requiem to the memory of composer Gioachino Rossini, and later to the Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni. The premiere of the work took place on May 22, 1874, in Milan and was a great success. Today, Verdi's Requiem is considered one of the most magnificent examples of the classical music heritage.
According to experts, the chamber version prepared by Michael Betzner-Brandt not only offers a new artistic perspective on the famous work but also highlights its emotional impact in a different way.
