Belshazzar’s Feast

Walton

Belshazzar’s Feast

Coronation Te Deum

Crown Imperial March

Parry

Blest Pair of Sirens

I was Glad

Experience the Drama of Ancient Babylon

Join the combined choirs of Bury Bach Choirand Bath Bach Choir for an unforgettable evening as we present William Walton’s magnificent oratorio Belshazzar’s Feast, one of the most thrilling and dramatic works in the choral repertoire. This biblical epic tells the story of the Babylonian king’s downfall with overwhelming power and intensity, featuring some of the most exciting choral writing ever composed. From the haunting opening narration to the triumphant finale celebrating the liberation of the Jewish people, Walton’s masterpiece will transport you to ancient Babylon for an evening of musical storytelling at its absolute finest.

Belshazzar’s Feast demands everything a choir can give – thunderous fortissimos that shake the concert venue, delicate pianissimos that draw you in, and rhythmic complexity that will leave you breathless. Walton’s score brilliantly captures both the decadence of Babylonian revelry and the righteous anger of divine judgment. Featuring powerful solos - sung today by stellar talent Roderick Williams - massive choral forces, and orchestral writing that ranges from intimate chamber music to earth-shaking climaxes, this performance promises to demonstrate the full range and capability of our combined choirs.

To complete the programme, Southern Sinfonia will play William Walton's Crown Imperial March, and the combined choirs will perform Hubert Parry’s wonderful Blest Pair of Sirens and I was Glad, together with Walton’s Coronation Te Deum, a regal and celebratory piece for double choir and semi-choruses which he composed for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey.

Do book now for this rare opportunity to hear one of Britain’s greatest choral works performed live by a choir of over 150 singers and an orchestra of over 50 players – it’s a musical experience that will stay with you long after the final notes fade away.

Roderick Williams baritone

Southern Sinfonia
Bury Bach Choir
Bath Bach Choir
Benedict Collins Rice conductor

General Booking opens 26 January 2026

Tickets: £30 reserved, £23 unreserved (half price for under 30’s)
Venue: St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds
Date: 13 June 2026
Starts: 7.30pm
Ends: 9.20pm

This event is promoted jointly by Bury Bach Choir and Bath Bach Choir and is part of the Bury Music Festival.

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