Dressing (June)

Bostridge’s voice, clear and elegant. Owen’s shock wording, almost turned biblical with time. Britten’s range of tones, his slow massive effects fill out the silences. Dressing for the War Requiem is easy: white-tie for tenors, Melbourne black for June audiences. But throughout thoughts turn from trenches to today’s email words. The Vicar of Baghdad is addressing Karbala somewhere, where Isis is beheading hundreds of Christians. What is one meant to make of that? Our own little squabbles are so petty. He asks for prayers. I keep thinking of that, he asks for our prayers, for them, in an email, somewhere.