"War Requiem" is a choral composition by Benjamin Britten, first performed in 1962. It was created to honor the consecration of the Coventry Cathedral, which was rebuilt after being destroyed during World War II. The work combines the traditional Latin Mass for the Dead with poems by Wilfred Owen, a soldier and poet who died in the war. The piece features a large orchestra, choir, and soloists, representing different voices and perspectives on war. It is structured in several movements, highlighting themes of loss, suffering, and the futility of conflict, making it a powerful anti-war statement.