Red Events presents a dazzling Christmas program centered on Benjamin Britten’s *A Ceremony of Carols* at the magnificent Fraumünster in Zurich’s Altstadt. In this historic venue, centuries-old architecture meets the luminous stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall and Augusto Giacometti.
Britten composed the work in 1942 during his voyage by ship from the United States to England; it premiered the following year. The famous cycle of twelve short movements for voices and harp combines medieval English and Latin texts with music of extraordinary clarity, delicacy, and radiance. At times mystical, at times playful, and always radiant, *A Ceremony of Carols* is now one of the most beloved choral works of the Christmas season.
Britten’s masterpiece is complemented by sacred works by John Tavener and Arvo Pärt, whose music explores the deep connection between spirituality, silence, and sound. The Ensemble Sinfonietta Bern and singers from Creator Classics, a Viennese opera collective, bring these meditative compositions into a striking dialogue with Britten’s luminous choral language.
Additional seasonal works round out this atmospheric musical journey and invite the audience to experience the magic, tranquility, and joy of the Christmas season through some of the most moving and resonant sacred works of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Translated with DeepL
