The Watar Youth Orchestra from Nineveh performed at Mosul's Al Rabea Theatre on Thursday to celebrate the restoration of the venue destroyed during the city's occupation by ISIS. The performance, which was streamed live on Facebook, was accompanied by old videos of the city and its residents, celebrating its history and commemorating those who lost their lives during the extremist group's brutal rule from 2014 to 2017. The orchestra was put together by a local radio station and comprises beginners and musicians who have been playing for years. One of the most notable moments of the concert was when the youngest member of the orchestra performed <em>Lux Aeterna</em> and the theme to the popular film, <em>Requiem for A Dream, </em>composed by Clint Mansell, on the piano to a rapt audience. The creation of the orchestra is part of a revival and cultural reawakening in Iraq's second city after ISIS was driven out in July 2017. Pictures on social media showed a full theatre for the concert, with the audience of government officials, activists and ordinary citizens giving the orchestra a standing ovation after an emotional performance.
