Ten things to do in September 2016

Take in some art...

A year after his performance at the Whitworth reopening weekend artist Nico Vascellari returned to Manchester with a large solo exhibition throughout the Landscape Gallery, running until 18 September 2016.

In Bus de la Lum and Darvaza visitors have been transported into locations from the artist’s own childhood, each surrounded in legend and hidden history.  Using light, shadow and an extraordinary soundtrack created in collaboration with Turkish-born musician Ghedalia Tazartes the works recreate the eerie haunted forests of Northern Italy, combining performance, sculpture video and sound.

From left Tibor Reich Installation shot at the Whitworth Image courtesy of the Whitworth; Nico Vascellari I Hear a Shadow 2009 – 2011

Catch a gig...

Nashville-based British songwriter Lucie Silvas performs at Manchester's Deaf Institute just days after the release of her new brilliant new album Letters to Ghosts, an excellent collection of 11 country inspired tracks, showcasing the influence which country has had on her and her sound over the last few years.  Born in the UK and raised, for part of her life, in New Zealand by her Kiwi father and Scottish mother, Lucie achieved early success with her debut album Breathe In, which produced two top ten singles and together with her second album went on to sell well over a million records in Europe alone.  Since moving to Nashville she has written and performed with the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert.

Tickets £10.

Go to the theatre...

Tennessee Williams' classic comes to the Royal Exchange Theatre.  

Maxine Peake takes on the role of Williams’ fragile heroine Blanche DuBois, who, battling a gripping addiction, looks for relief in the claustrophobic home of her sister Stella, played by Sharon Duncan-Brewster and her hot-blooded husband, Ben Batt’s Stanley. In the New Orleans house of Stanley and Stella Kowalski, a visitor arrives. Debt has sunk the family home in Mississippi and Stella’s fragile sister Blanche is coming to stay. As the summer heat floats up from the sidewalk and the liquor gets poured, Blanche invades her sister’s marriage and ignites a dark and violent conflict with the brooding and bullish Stanley.

Directed by Sarah Frankcom, this 20th Century modern classic brings the Royal Exchange’s Artistic Director back together with Peake, her creative partner and Exchange Associate Artist.

Go to Hope Mill Theatre...

Play With Fire Productions return to Hope Mill Theatre following their success at the beginning of the year with Orphans.

New production Sans Merci tells the story of Kelly, an idealistic young woman, a survivor of rape and attempted murder by South American revolutionaries, who is visited three years after the attach by the mother of fellow victim Tracy, forcing her to relive her experiencing and understand why they went on their dangerous humanitarian mission. Please note this show contains nudity, coarse language and scenes of a sexual nature. Recommended 16+

Tickets via the Hope Mill Theatre website.

Enjoy a lunchtime concert...

Take a lunchtime break and enjoy Manchester-based harmony vocal trio A Beautiful Thing performing a free concert at the Bridgewater Hall.  A Beautiful Thing likes to share their emotional connection to the music with the audience. Their down to earth approach creates a warm atmosphere as they explore the spirit of the folk, roots, jazz, soul and pop music that has influenced them.

Catch a gig...

American singer songwriter Haley Reinhart on her UK debut headline tour.  Following an extremely successful 2015, Haley Reinhart’s career is going from strength to strength. The 25 year-old, who draws influences from jazz, soul, blues, rock'n'roll and funk, recently released her sophomore album, Better – the follow up release to 2012’s Interscope Records debut, Listen Up! Both releases have garnered significant critical acclaim – Listen Up! debuted at #17 on the Billboard 200 chart, while her recent single Can’t Help Falling in Love With You has sold 201,000 units (and counting), amassed 19 million Spotify streams, and reached #1 on Spotify’s Global viral chart in 2015. 

Tickets £15.

Watch some dance...

The English National Ballet return to Manchester with a performance of the iconic romantic ballet Giselle, choreographed by Akram Khan.

Mix classical with contemporary...

Manchester Camerata: From Haydn to Hendrix - 24 September - Bridgewater Hall

Gábor Takács-Nagy conducts as Hannah Roberts is featured on cello and Rachael Clegg on oboe.  The Manchester Camerata play the most varied of programmes moving from Haydn and Mozart through to Henrix and the Rolling Stones.
Programme: Rolling Stones/Daniel Schnyder Sympathy For The Devil | Holst St Paul’s Suite, Op.9, No.2 | Vaughan WilliamsOboe Concerto | Haydn Cello Concerto in C major | Mozart Symphony No.29, K201 |Jimi Hendrix/Daniel SchnyderPurple Haze Variations.

Tickets £22 - £37.

Image courtesy of Matt Trudeau / Flickr published under creative commons license

Take in a classical concert...

The programme features: Henry Purcell Suite from King Arthur; Emmanuel Séjourné Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra; Edward Elgar Introduction and Allegro Op 47; Frank Bridge Lament for Strings; and Josef Suk Serenade for Strings in E flat major Op 6.

Andrew Watkinson directs and Andre Nadais is featured on percussion.

Tickets £12.

Catch a gig...

Stockport's Blossoms are going from strength to strength.  They've recently announced two nights at Manchester's Albert Hall but before that will be playing at Manchester Academy.  The gig follows the recent release of their eponymous debut album which went straight to the number one spot in the album charts.

Tickets £14.