The cathedral in Coventry was almost entirely destroyed during a German air raid in 1940, with only the outer walls, bell tower and tomb of the first bishop remaining intact. These were preserved as a memorial. In the 1950s, the decision was made to incorporate the ruins in a new building. The first stone was laid by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956. and the new cathedral opened on May 25, 1962. Five days later, it was musically inaugurated with Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, in a performance broadcast live by the BBC.
At the time, Britten was probably the only British composer able to strike a collective chord with his countrymen - even though in his operas, he always sided with eccentrics and outcasts.
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