Quartet for the End of Time

PLEASE NOTE THE NEW DATE FOR THIS CONCERT - SATURDAY 28th FEBRUARY 2026

Olivier Messiaen created his masterpiece in a prisoner-of-war camp during the early days of World War II. Drawing together his Christian faith, his love of birdsong, and fervent belief in the sanctity of human life, he wrote the piece for the instruments and players available to him in the camp. An audience of 400 prisoners together with German officers attended its first performance. In this, the 80th anniversary year of VE Day, and at a time when so much of the world is still ravaged by conflict, this profoundly moving work has never been more relevant. The concert will also include a selection of cabaret songs from the same period sung by acclaimed German lyric soprano Felicia Brembeck.

Messiaen and other members of his Quartet rehearsing in the POW camp in the autumn of 1940, before winter in the camp set in.