BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) The Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra consists of a very talented group of local performers. This weekend’s performance promises to be incredibly powerful. The orchestra will perform “Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin” on October 20 and 21 at the Belle Mehus in Bismarck.

This concert-drama tells the story of the Jewish prisoners in the Terezin Concentration Camp during World War II who performed Verdi’s Requiem while experiencing the depths of human degradation.

“We are presenting the “Defiant Requiem”, which is a music-drama created by Murry,” said Dr. Beverly Everett who plays The Lecturer in the performance. “It uses chorus, we’ll use a small chamber group of musicians, soloists, and two actors that join Murry in delivering words, there’s also multi-media, so there are videos of actual survivors as part of the presentation.”

“This will be our 54th and 55th performances of the “Defiant Requiem”, said Murry Sidlin, Creator and Conductor for this performance.

He adds that the background of the piece did not come easy. It is based on and in tribute to the leadership and courage of Rafael Schächter who, in the Terezin Concentration Camp taught the Verdi Requiem to a volunteer chorus, most of whom didn’t read music.

“They felt that having great music in the camp was uplifting, it was nutritious, and inspiring. And it gave them some contact and connection with the outside world that they were removed from. They were thrown into prison. This is Jews in a concentration camp, any way you look at it. It’s an event that really represents fully what happened in the Terezin Concentration Camp.”

“We have to recall where we are in time. This must not be ‘here we go again’. But the only way we can ensure that is to remind people of what took place. It’s timely that we are performing this here in Bismarck,” concludes Sidlin.

Learn more about the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra performance of “Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin”, including purchasing tickets, here. You can also purchase tickets at the Bismarck Event Center box office.