“The most gregarious man you ever met also loved his own company”, said Dominic Minghella of his brother Anthony, at Saturday’s Thanksgiving Service. Actors Jude Law, Alan Rickman and Alfred Molina were among those to attend the gathering at the Minster Church of Sts Thomas, in Newport.
Island High Sheriff Alan Titchmarsh (pictured above) and town-crier Shirley Ballard (pictured above) also joined the congregation for a service which included visual, musical and narrative extracts of the work of the Ryde-born Oscar winner who died last month, aged just 54 years old.
In moving tributes, the Mr Mingehlla’s family paid tribute to the man, his work and his life. The writer of BBC1’s Robin Hood, Dominic Minghella, remembered Anthony’s love of the Island. He said it had taught his brother much about life. “A crowd is a beach full of grockles waiting to be sold an ice-cream…That same beach in winter …is a place to consider”.
Hollywood A-lister Jude Law read a poem by Mary Oliver, called “When Death Comes”. Alan Rickman and Anthony Minghella’s sister Gioia read extracts from “Hang Up” and “The English Patient”, respectively, both works by the director. Soprano Mary Plazas, Mercury-prize nominated trumpeter Guy Barker and Portuguese pianist Bernardo Sassetti performed. The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Palmer, the Vicar of the Minster Church (pictured below), led the service.
But perhaps the last word should be left to Anthony’s nephew and Dominic Minghella’s son Dante. He read his own composition to the congregation, describing the 54 year old as a “book unwritten…a teacher of a lesson missed…my superman”.