Sunday 7 December:
Royal Northern College of Music – Trafford Music Service. The talents of some of the youth groups from across the Trafford district are showcased in three concerts across the day – at 10am, 1.30pm and 5.00pm. Tickets £8/concert.
Royal Northern College of Music – The Merry Widow. Franz Lehar’s operetta is performed at the RNCM, featuring a whirl of elegant ladies, eligible bachelors, can-can dancers and champagne as the Parisienne widow Hanna Glawari’s hand is sought by a series of suitors. Tickets £36 / £30 / £23. 3.00pm. Further performances will take place on 9th December, 11th December and 13th December.
Tuesday 9th December:
Bridgewater Hall – Joanna Harries and John Holland-Avery. Bridgewater Introducing presents mezzo-soprano Joanna Harries and baritone John Holland-Avery in a free lunchtime concert in the stalls cafe bar. The performance will include Finzi’s Let us garlands bring (song cycle) and Britten’s Cabaret Songs. Free. 12.45pm.
Wednesday 10th December:
Royal Northern College of Music – RNCM Big Band. The outstanding RNCM Big Band are set to perform the music of the beloved Northern Dance Orchestra, a big band formed by the BBC in 1956 featuring Johnny Roadhouse and Syd Lawrence. A number of the NDO’s most popular and interesting numbers will be brought to life. Tickets from £15. 7.30pm. There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30 on the history of the NDO and its music.
Bridgewater Hall – The Halle presents The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece The Nutcracker receives a complete concert performance courtesy of The Halle. Andrew Gourlay is set to conduct. Tickets £39-13. 2.15pm. Further performances take place on Thursday 11th December and Sunday 14th December at 7.30pm.
Thursday 11 December:
Dancehouse Theatre – Manchester City Ballet presents The Nutcracker. The Manchester City Ballet, the Northern Ballet School’s classical company puts on a new production of The Nutcracker to bring the magical Christmas story of the magician Drosselmeyer and his gift of a nutcracker doll to Clara who travels to the enchanted Land of Sweets when the Nutcracker transforms into a prince. Tickets £8 – £15. 7.30pm. Further performances take place on Friday 12th December (7.30pm) and Saturday 13th December (2.30pm and 7.30pm).
Friday 12 December:
Martin Harris Centre – Quatuor Danel Evening Concert. The resident University of Manchester string quartet Quatuor Danel perform Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 6 in G, Janacek’s Quartet No. 1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’ and Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 5 in B flat. Tickets £14/£9/£3. 7.30pm
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