Veterans Day: New Setting for World War I Poems

Jason Nong ’15 and Katie Dubbs ’14 perform “The Soldier” by English poet Rupert Brooke, set to music by Ryan McCarty ’14.

Luke Cheng ’14

By Vivienne Chen ’14

Published Jan. 21, 2016

1 min read

In honor of Veterans Day, students from the Princeton Opera Company (POCO) and the slam poetry group Ellipses teamed up to perform their interpretations of World War I poetry by British soldiers Nov. 11 in the Mathey Common Room. POCO students composed and sang original operatic music, while Ellipses members performed the poems as modern spoken word. POCO president Jonathan Choi ’15 said he was inspired to organize the event after taking classes on World War I poetry and wanted to share the history with the Princeton community.

Published in Dec. 4, 2013, Issue

1 Response

Jamie Spencer ’66

8 Years Ago

I loved the article about the Veterans Day remembrance of World War I and the celebration of the Rupert Brooke poetry with newly composed music by Ryan McCarty ’14 (On the Campus, Dec. 4). One additional lovely touch might have been a brief selection from Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, which sets the words of another war poet, Wilfred Owen, to some astonishing music. Last year was Britten’s centenary, which also argues for his inclusion. It could have made a wonderful remembrance perfect.