A Spectacular Season of Classics at King George's Hall

King George’s Hall presents a spectacular programme of worldwide acclaimed performers for a brand-new season for Blackburn Classics.

Joined by The Hallé, BBC Philharmonic and Royal Northern Sinfonia, this five-part season is packed with well-loved symphonies and moving arias.

The Hallé begin the 2018/19 Classics Series with Andrew Manze and Jian Wang, two distinguished performers, teaming up with the Hallé to perform what is simply the greatest of all cello concertos. Packed with both melodies and virtuosity, Jian Wang will more than meet its many challenges.

The music of Vaughan Williams is something of a specialism for conductor Andrew Manze. He is a superb choice to conduct ‘A London Symphony’, one of the English composer’s most imaginative, evocative and atmospheric creations.

In February, The Hallé’s Principal Clarinet Sergio Castelló López brings his panache to bear on Beethoven’s exhilarating Seventh Symphony, a work described by Wagner as ‘the apotheosis of the dance’. The concert opens with Falla’s remarkably beautiful El amor brujo.

April's concert celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth, on 11 April, of Sir Charles Hallé, the orchestra’s founder. The Halle’s hugely talented Assistant Conductor Jonathon Heyward is joined by Heejae Kim, winner of the Terence Judd-Hallé Orchestra prize at the 2015 Leeds International Piano Competition. Her interpretation of Mozart’s lovely G major concerto is hugely anticipated.

Royal Northern Sinfonia return to Blackburn with a concert of French music including Debussy’s ground-breaking orchestral prelude, based on a poem by Mallarmé. The concert draws to a close with Saint–Saëns’s seductive Fantaisie for violin and harp and Debussy’s picturesque and atmospheric seascape, La Mer.

The BBC Philharmonic will conclude the 2018/19 Classics Series with a fairy-tale sound world, hints of the Russian Revolution and the New World Symphony. Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto, composed against the turbulent backdrop of the Russian Revolution, vividly captures a world in flux – it’s a roller-coaster ride for both listener and soloist, tonight featuring the brilliant violinist Ye-Eun Choi.

Find out more about King George's Hall Classics Concerts here www.kinggeorgeshall.com/whats-on/classical/ 

"Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council remains indebted to the team at the Hallé for continuing to programme a tremendous series within the Borough and supporting the King George’s Hall team to keep it alive.

"Highlights are sure to include Debussy’s La Mer, a first performance within records at King George’s Hall, and Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony."

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Leisure & Culture