previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2024
MANCHESTER CAMERATA’S EPIC MOZART MADE IN MANCHESTER PIANO CONCERT SERIES CONCLUDES AT THE STOLLER HALL
Preview by Steve Cooke
Since 2016, Manchester Camerata have been engaged in a multi-year collaborative project with Chetham's School of Music to perform and record all of Mozart's piano concerts at the Stoller Hall...bringing together eminent pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Camerata's esteemed Music Director, Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Since the concert series began Manchester Camerata have built a reputation internationally touring across Europe and amassing praise from the great and good of classical music. Over 2,500 people from all over the world - as far flung as Australia, USA and Europe – have attended these 11 critically acclaimed hometown shows - whilst the recordings on Chandos records have gained over 2,650,000 streams on Spotify. These concerts of pure Mozart magic now reach a final conclusion with this current concert series coming to an end on Friday 20th September 2024 at the Stoller Hall - for audiences to experience the undeniable musical chemistry of Takacs-Nagy and Bavouzet. The instalment will also be recorded in autumn 2024 on Chandos and issued in 2025.
Manchester Camerata will return to the Stoller Hall in 2025 when its Mozart, Made in Manchester evolves with a new series of Mozart’s horn concertos with renowned British classical Horn Player, Martin Owen. The concerts will take place at Stoller Hall led by Gábor Takács-Nagy. The first features an overture by classical-era composer Marianna Martines as well as Haydn’s 94th symphony, and the second features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
Mozart, Made in Manchester
Friday 20 September 2024, 7:30pm
The Stoller Hall, Hunts Bank, Manchester M3 1DA
Directly opposite Manchester Victoria Station, within easy reach of all main train, bus, tram and road links.
£24.50 - £39.50. FTE: £5. Gorton Residents £3
Voici Voices make welcome return to TLC
Review by Dr joe Dawson
It was a welcome return to Toad Lane Concerts of award-winning Voci Voices. Elizabeth Ambrose (soprano), Margaret Ferguson (mezzo), and Eric Cymbir (tenor) welcomed a newcomer to the quartet, Mackenzie Paget (baritone) who also happens to be a first-class pianist but used his voice to great advantage today. There were international hints too, with performers’ roots in Ghana, Poland, Scotland and Wales all sharing a platform, accompanied by English pianist Jonathan Ellis who at times reproduced the full orchestra or sensitively supported the vocal harmonies.
This splendid troupe performs regularly and has previously appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Eisteddfod and Buxton Festival Fringe to great acclaim.
There was vast variety in their choice of styles of music, all of which was beautifully arranged.
From the sparkling show songs Lullaby of Broadway and 42nd Street, Sing, Sing, Sing! And Who Will Buy? from Oliver; and inspirational sacred songs, Stainers setting of Love Divine! All Love Excelling and Wood’s Agnus Dei. Plus, traditional and folk songs from four corners of the British Isles with Dorset’s Linden Lea, An Eriskay Love Lilt, Londonderry’s O Danny Boy and the Welsh Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn (Watching the wheat).
We were even treated with Opera excerpts with a scene from The Elixir of Love by Donizetti beginning with a beautiful duet from Margaret and Eric. Then came duets for Elizabeth and Margaret from Bellini’s Norma, and Elizabeth and Mackenzie from Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Finally, a pair of popular standards for the quartet: Fields of Gold and Get Happy.
An encore was demanded and given with a stirring arrangement of I wish you love, rounding off an enthusiastic and packed songfest admirably suited to the acoustics of St Mary in the Baum.
The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.
New work from acclaimed performer Jenni Jackson opens at HOME this October
Preview by Steve Cooke
WRESTLELADSWRESTLE a new live performance by acclaimed artist and choreographer Jenni Jackson, explosively combines theatre, dance, judo and pro-wrestling to transform the studio theatre at HOME into a battleground of joy and reclamation.
Inspired by her Bolivian mother, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and entertainment wrestling, Jenni dares to confront and reimagine a ‘historical’ racist incident she witnessed her mother endure when she was a child.
Jenni draws on her real-life teenage career as the under 50kg British Judo Champion and brings an almighty Girl Gang to join her in this ambitious and exhilarating theatrical event.
Don't get mad. Get a girl gang.
Devised and written by Jennifer Jackson with Simon Carroll Jones with additional material devised with the company.
‘Thanks to: Tom Hughes, Mali Siloko, Janet Etuk, Farrell Cox, Shireen Mula, Fiona Watson, Jasmin Kent Rodgman, Louise Duggan, Emma Spearpoint, Malú Ansaldo, The Murmuration, Davinia Jokhi, Rory Aaron, Kendell Foster, Jude Kelly, and all the Girl Gangs who have come to playfight.’
Supported by: Arts Council England, Jerwood New Work Award, Barbican OpenLab, MGCFutures, DARE Festival/Upstart Theatre, Evolve Oxford Playhouse, ARC Stockton, Sheffield Crucible (Bank Residency), Battersea Centre, Cambridge Junction, Royal Exchange Theatre.
Theatre 2 HOME, Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN - just off Whitworth Street West, roughly opposite the Hacienda apartments and 0.2 miles from Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink (tram) stop or 0.3 miles from Oxford Road train station.
Thu 3 - Sat 12 Oct - Tickets from £10
Box Office 0161 200 1500
Restaurant 0161 212 3500
Visit: https://homemcr.org/
RECOMMENDED
Wednesday 18 September 2024
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have Anne Butterworth soprano, Stephen Taylor baritone & Elaine Marsden piano.
The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020… during the pandemic!
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Thursday 19 September 2024
Syke Community Choir
This is a new weekly Choir session held every Thursday - a fun social group, all you need is a mouth, no previous singing experience required , we all learn together.
£5
7pm - 8.30pm
Syke Community Base, 206 Syke Road, Rochdale OL12 9TF
Thursday 19 September - Saturday 21 September 2024
Visit Fireground Museum
Join us at Fireground this week to discover Greater Manchester's firefighting story.
Fire museum attractions are on show inside the museum including our collection of historic firefighting artefacts from the 18th century to present day, plus home-made refreshments in the new Fireground Café, and souvenirs from our fantastic new gift shop! We have a wide choice ranging from toddler to collector.
Under 4s are free, Children (aged 4-15) and Concessions £5, Adults £7 and Family (4 people) £20.
Phone: Fireground 01706 341219
Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10am - 4pm
Fireground, Maclure Road, Rochdale OL11 1DN
Saturday 21 September 2024
Crooners
Packed with personality and humour, Crooners has been wowing audiences with its witty and exhilarating show full of hilarious one liners, laugh out loud silliness and superb musical numbers with the outstanding nine-piece The Mini Big Band live on stage.
Crooners pays homage to some of the greatest singers of all time, with a splendiferous injection of Britishness. Featuring humour, tap dance and some of the most quintessential songs from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Matt Monro, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin. Expect Come Fly With Me, Fly Me to the Moon, Mack the Knife and many, many more…
Doors open at 7.00pm.
Tickets from £26.50
Phone: Middleton Arena 0300 303 8633
7.30pm
Middleton Arena, LCpl Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton M24 1AG
celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.