Belshazzar's Feast
Experience the Drama of Ancient Babylon
- Date
- 13th June 2026
- Time
- 7:30pm - 9:30pm
About this event
Join the combined choirs of Bury Bach Choir and 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.
Walton Belshazzar’s Feast
Coronation Te Deum
Crown Imperial March
Parry
Blest Pair of Sirens
I was Glad
Roderick Williams baritone
Southern Sinfonia
Bury Bach Choir
Bath Bach Choir
Benedict Collins Rice conductor
Booking opens 26 January 2026
Tickets £30 (reserved), £23 (unreserved) (half price for under-30s)
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About the Venue
For over 1,000 years, the site of Suffolk ’s Cathedral has been one of worship and pilgrimage.
The death of Edmund, King of the East Angles, at the hands of the Danes in 869 led to the building of an abbey to house his remains. St James’s Church was built within the precincts of the Abbey, becoming a Cathedral in 1914. The Cathedral building has continued to develop over recent years with the addition of the Millennium Tower, completed in 2005, and its magnificent painted and gilded vault, added in 2010. In 2009 the Cathedral changed its dedication to become the Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund.
Visitors are welcome to look around the Cathedral on their own. Entry is free but donations gratefully received. A free introductory leaflet is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Polish. Visitors are most welcome to attend any of the daily services.
Guided Tours of the Cathedral run Monday to Saturday at 11.30 am and some Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Cathedral Shop. Occasionally a tour may have to be cancelled if another event is taking place in the Cathedral. If you are travelling some distance, please do ring the Cathedral office to check. These tours last approx 1 hour and cost £7 per person (under 16s free).
St Edmundsbury Cathedral Tower Tours - Experience a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of St Edmundsbury Cathedral's Millennium Tower with fun and knowledgeable guides. Explore heady heights with amazing views from the top of the tower, the highest point in Bury St Edmunds! Don’t forget your camera!
St Edmund Statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink - A trip to Bury St Edmunds would not be complete without a photo of the iconic St Edmund statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink. The statue can be found outside in the Great Churchyard of the Cathedral.
Cathedral Lego Project - St Edmundsbury Cathedral has launched an ambitious project to recreate the Cathedral out of 200,000 LEGO bricks! Visitors can see the Lego Cathedral being built before their eyes and donate a brick to be part of this amazing project. The Lego Cathedral is located in the South West corner of St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Opening times may vary based on volunteer availability.
The Ancient Library - The Ancient Library was founded by Dr Miles Mosse in 1595 as a resource for clergy training. There are over 550 books, mainly printed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The library, in a room over the north-west porch designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in 1960, has bookcases made by Leonard Goff in 2004. If you would like to visit the library, please contact the librarian through the Cathedral Office on visits@stedscathedral.org or 01284 748730.
The Cathedral Treasury - Visitors can view a wonderful collection of treasures including the beautiful Bury Psalter - an illuminated book of psalms made and used at the Abbey of St Edmund, a replica of The Bury Cross or Cloisters Cross (the real cross is on display The Met in New York) made by Master Hugo during the days of the Abbey. The Treasury is open seven days a week: Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm and Sunday 12.30pm – 3pm.
Pilgrim's Kitchen - after touring the Cathedral why not relax with a cuppa at the Cathedral's cafe?
"A lovely gem in Bury St Edmunds, a must visit."
"Really gorgeous cathedral with a lot of history and a lot of areas to explore."
"The grounds are spectacular enough as they contain the remains of a destroyed abbey but once you enter the Cathedral it's like entering something from Camelot. I have never come across a Cathedral with such a range of textures and colours on the floor, cleaning and stained glass."
