30 & 31 December - Piano in Orchestra of Opera North A winter wonderland with the Orchestra of Opera North. As intoxicating, rich and elaborately layered as the finest Austrian dessert, Opera North’s traditional New Year celebration will whisk you off down the Danube in the company of guest soprano Jennifer France and conductor Christoph Altstaedt (Opera North’s Hansel and Gretel; Don Giovanni). The Blue Danube, ‘The Radetzky March’ and other Strauss family essentials complement a spirited selection of waltzes, polkas and galops from Vienna and beyond, including ‘Je veux vivre’ from Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette; the wonderfully evocative Copenhagen Steam Railway by ‘Strauss of the North’ Hans Christian Lumbye; Carl Michael Ziehrer’s magical Night Owl Waltz, and many more. 8 Aug - 1 Oct - Chief Repetiteur on La traviata at Opera North VIOLETTA VALÉRY - Alison Langer/Maire Flavin ALFREDO GERMONT - Nico Darmanin/Oliver Johnston GIORGIO GERMONT - Stephen Gadd/Damiano Salerno ANNINA - Amy J Payne GASTONE - Gavin Ring BARON DOUPHOL - James Cleverton DOCTOR GRENVIL - Matthew Stiff FLORA BERVOIX - Victoria Sharp MARQUIS D’OBIGNY - Nicholas Butterfield Jonathan Webb CONDUCTOR   Manoj Kamps CONDUCTOR   Alessandro Talevi DIRECTOR   Madeleine Boyd SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER   Matthew Haskins LIGHTING DESIGNER   Victoria Newlyn CHOREOGRAPHER 27 Aug - Burley Opera Gala with Rachel Luxon, Beth Mackay, Satriya Krisna and Dean Robinson 20-21 Aug - Thirsk Hall Festival Orchestra with Story Teller and Charlie Chaplin’s A Dogs Tale 6 Aug - Concert with Stephen Aviss and Natasha Day at Hodroyd Hall 24 July - Millenium Square Concert with Orchestra of Opera North 2 July - Andy Long Orchestra Concert at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse 4 - 22 April - Extra Music Staff on A Little Night Music in co-production between Leeds Playhouse and Opera North DESIREE ARMFELDT - Sandra Piques Eddy FREDRIK EGERMAN - Quirijn de Lang ANNE EGERMAN - Corinne Cowling HENRIK EGERMAN - Sam Marston MADAM ARMFELDT (EXC. 9 JUL EVE, 13 JUL ) - Dame Josephine Barstow MADAM ARMFELDT (9 JUL EVE, 13 JUL ) - Fiona Kimm PETRA - Amy J Payne COUNT CARL-MAGNUS MALCOLM - Christopher Nairne FREDERIKA ARMFELDT - Agatha Meehan FREDERIKA ARMFELDT - Lucy Sherman COUNTESS CHARLOTTE MALCOLM - Helen Évora MRS NORDSTROM - Gillene Butterfield MRS SEGSTROM - Amy Freston MRS ANDERSSEN - Claire Pascoe MR LINDQUIST - Dean Robinson MR ERLANSON - Tim Ochala-Greenough FRID - Ivan Sharpe BERTRAND - Warren Gillespie   Oliver Rundell CONDUCTOR (EXC 7 (EVE), 8, 9 (X2), 15 (EVE), 16 (MAT))   James Holmes CONDUCTOR (7 (EVE), 8, 9 (X2), 15 (EVE), 16 (MAT))   James Brining DIRECTOR   Madeleine Boyd SET & COSTUME DESIGNER   Chris Davey LIGHTING DESIGNER   Lucy Hind CHOREOGRAPHER   Sebastian Frost SOUND DESIGNER 26 March - Performance of Brahms Requiem with Leeds Philharmonic Chorus at Bradford Cathedral. With the chorus, two pianos and simple harp and timpani accompaniment. Also Brahms St Anthony Variations for piano 
Joseph Judge – Conductor Chris Pulleyn – Piano Philip Voldman – Piano Georgina Wells – Harp Mark Concar – Timpani Graham McCusker – Baritone Rachel Spiers – Soprano And the massed voices of Leeds Philharmonic Chorus 27 Feb - Piano and Celeste in Orchestra of Opera North The maelstrom of the mid-20th century is the focus tonight, as Antony Hermus’ programme opens with Galina Ustvolskaya’s terrifically imposing Symphonic Poem No. 2. Returning to the work of her teacher, Shostakovich, Leader of the Orchestra David Greed steps forward as soloist in the First Violin Concerto for his last show in Huddersfield as the leader of the Orchestra of Opera North. One of Bartók’s last and most popular compositions – featuring a cheeky quotation from Shostakovich’s “Leningrad” Symphony – the Concerto for Orchestra closes the evening. Programme: Ustvolskaya - Symphonic Poem No. 2 Shostakovich - Violin Concerto No. 1 Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra 20 Feb - Avenue Ensemble – Winter is Coming Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen 1A Cross Belgrave Street
Leeds
LS2 8JP Classical Music Concert Music Leeds International Concert Season Avenue Ensemble returns to Leeds with an eclectic winter themed programme of classical, film and TV music including music by Vivaldi, Puccini, Dvorák, Max Richter, Einaudi, John Barry, and more. In an Avenue Ensemble first it will be joined by singer Molly Becker who will perform some much loved and celebrated songs from favourite movie soundtracks. Avenue Ensemble is a collective of classical musicians who like to do things a bit differently. This is a light-hearted and entertaining take on the genre – expect a lively atmosphere, interaction with the players and the music, and maybe even a musical quiz to enjoy (don’t worry, you won’t need a PhD in music theory to compete!). Avenue Ensemble are intent on spreading the love and enjoyment of classical music and chamber music beyond its usual spaces and audiences, and we believe what we do is perfect for those who haven’t tried this kind of live music before and offers something new for those who already have a taste for it. “Fantastic concept, possibly the most accessible and enjoyable live music experience I’ve ever had.” 
 27 January - Musicians from the Orchestra of Opera North perform a special concert for Holocaust Memorial Day. Featuring the beautiful string music of Hans Krása and Gideon Klein, both murdered at Auschwitz, as well as readings from the journals and poetry of Holocaust victims, this is a celebration of Jewish music and culture, as well as a moment to reflect on tragedy and loss. Krása’s String Quartet, written when the young composer was living in Prague, has a traditional folk quality reminiscent of Smetana, while Klein’s String Trio, written at the Terezín camp shortly before his death, is considered one of the last century’s finest examples of its type.