The Hallé orchestra is to debut a new season of condensed, hour-long concerts, kicking off later this month.
The ‘rush hour’ events will take in famous works from the likes of Prokofiev, Debussy and Tchaikovsky, all performed by the Hallé in early evening slots at the Bridgewater Hall.
Among the roster of performers will be the Hallé’s new artist-in-residence Thomas Adès, Hallé soloists Benjamin Grosvenor and Craig Ogden, and conductors including Roderick Cox, Delyana Lazarova and Alpesh Chauhan, alongside the Hallé’s Principal Conductor Designate from its 2024-25 season, Kahchun Wong.
The music programming will range from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5 on September 28 to Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3 and Debussy La Mer on November 9.
David Butcher, the Hallé’s chief executive said; “We are thrilled to present this brand new series of Rush Hour concerts starting at 6pm, offering the perfect opportunity to wind down and spend an early evening uninterrupted hour listening to glorious music performed by the full orchestra in Manchester’s stunning Bridgewater Hall.
“We have chosen both familiar and lesser known pieces which demonstrate the breadth of the full orchestra in delightful hour-long concerts all introduced from the stage. We start with a powerful Romantic symphony by Tchaikovsky and a Tango inspired piece written by our artist-in-residence Thomas Adès drawn from his comic opera ‘Powder Her Face’.
“In November you can completely lose yourself in Debussy’s ‘La Mer’ and in January be transported to a sunnier climate in our ‘España’ programme, conjuring the sights, smells and music of Spain. In our final concert the Hallé is joined by the Hallé Choir for Fauré’s much-loved ‘Requiem’ conducted by our soon-to-be Principal Conductor Kahchun Wong.
“We hope to see you there, and audiences are welcome to stay on in the foyer for a drink with more music and meet Hallé players. We look forward to making Rush Hour a regular fixture in the Hallé’s Manchester season.”
Ticket prices will range from £5.50 to £22.50. You can find the more details about the rush hour concerts at the Hallé website.
