Westminster Abbey celebrates the life of Sir Peter Hall

HRH The Prince of Wales was represented by Sir Kenneth Branagh, accompanied by Edward Kemp, Academy Director, RADA; and HRH Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Lady Ogilvy, was represented by Luke Rittner.

The service was led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, who said in his Bidding:

One year ago today, Peter Hall’s life on earth drew to its close.

Today, we come to celebrate his life and his works and to give thanks to almighty God for the concentrated focus of his gifts and his extraordinary enrichment of the cultural life of our nation.

The address was given by Sir Trevor Nunn CBE.

Dame Judi Dench CH DBE read from Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra, Act V, and David Suchet CBE read from Amadeus, Act I, Scene V by Peter Shaffer.

Sarah Tynan, soprano, with the Monteverdi Choir and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, sang Introitus and Kyrie from Mozart's Requiem.

Sir David Hare read a tribute.

Sir Thomas Allen CBE, baritone, sang Serenade from Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the orchestra.

Gregory Doran read Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, and Vanessa Redgrave CBE read 1 Corinthians 13.

Prayers were led by the Reverend Christopher Stoltz, Minor Canon and Precentor, and said by Sir Peter's children, Christopher, Jenny, Edward, Lucy, Rebecca and Emma, and by the Venerable David Stanton, Canon in Residence.

The Monteverdi Choir sang Es ist nun aus mit meinem Leben by Johann Christoph Bach.

Ben Hall, speaker, Sarah Tynan, soprano, Tim Mead, counter-tenor, choristers from the Choir of Westminster Abbey, and the orchestra performed Final Scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Benjamin Britten.