First performed in 1874 and conducted by the composer himself, Verdi’s Requiem unsurprisingy remains popular more than a century later. Last Thursday, the Sheldonian Theatre saw another reincarnation of the work, this time conducted by Marios Papadopoulos and performed by the Oxford Philomusica, the London Symphony Chorus and four soloists.

Papadopoulos, the founder of Oxford Philomusica, guided every aspect of the performance with the precision and grandeur that has rewarded him with such high critical acclaim in his career; the special connection between a conductor and his orchestra was clearly present.

Written in tribute to 19th-century poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni, a man for whom Verdi felt much admiration, the Requiem has a lyrical side which features essences of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead and is richly embroidered with imagery of darkness and light, heaven and hell. It is these contrasting ideas that are reflected through the subtly changing mood of the music, holding the audience in total awe throughout. As the piece continued through its seven different movements — from the sheer magnitude of sound in the instantly recognisable and ever-impressive Dies Irae, to the beautiful arrangement of the Offertorio — it was hard to miss the intense array of emotion emanating from every note.

As for the vocal aspect of the performance, Viktoria Yastrebova (above), despite being a last-minute stand-in for the original soprano, managed to steal the show. In the closing minutes, as her voice sliced cleanly through the orchestra and choir to issue Verdi’s final sentiments in Libera Me, Yastrebova tied a ribbon around a truly powerful and enchanting performance.

Verdi’s Requiem was a success at its first public airing and this performance proved that it remains nothing less than a triumph.