Classical Music in Manchester and the North

BBC Philharmonic: Szymanowski/Myaskovsky at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 1 February 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

Joined by celebrated violinist Liza Ferschtman, the BBC Philharmonic presents two Eastern European masterpieces and an epic symphony by Myaskovsky.

Ute Lemper at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 5 February 2020, from £28 - Book now

Cabaret singer Ute Lemper tells the fascinating story of Marlene Dietrich, featuring songs from every chapter of the legendary singer’s life.

BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 6 February 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

In the first of five concerts celebrating 250 years of Beethoven, the BBC Philharmonic will present the ‘Eroica’ symphony as well as two relative rarities.

Video Jam Presents 'Spaces-in-between' at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 7 February 2020, from £14 - Book now

Movies meet music as Video Jam presents an evening of five commissioned short films by international artists, each scored by a different UK composer.

BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 15 February 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

From Beethoven’s defiantly optimistic Seventh Symphony to two works marking lost lives, get ready for a BBC Philharmonic concert full of emotional extremes.

Bang on a Can All-Stars at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 25 February 2020, from £18 - Book now

Blurring the lines of classical, jazz, rock, world and experimental music, the Bang on a Can All-Stars present a wonderfully adventurous programme at RNCM.

Sean Shibe 'Melancholia' at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 3 March 2020, from £16 - Book now

Sean Shibe, one of the foremost guitarists of his generation, is bringing his wild virtuosity and pioneering vision to RNCM this March.

BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven - Mass in C Major at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 7 March 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

Bridging church and concert hall better than almost any other work, Beethoven’s Mass in C major features alongside his Fourth Symphony in this BBC Philharmonic concert.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Guy Johnston at The Stoller Hall, 14 March 2020, from £24 - Book now

Two titans of the cello playing world come together to perform a number of sonatas by Luigi Boccherini and a new work by Emma-Ruth Richards.

The Hallé - Beyond The Score: Beethoven’s Faithful Blows at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 11–15 March 2020, from £14.50 - Book now

Part of the Hallé/BBC Philharmonic’s Beethoven cycle, Beyond the Score® offers a breathtaking multimedia experience of Beethoven’s iconic Fifth Symphony.

BBC Philharmonic: Strauss/Mozart/Wagner at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 21 March 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

Three iconic works by three iconic composers will be performed by the BBC Philharmonic under the baton of acclaimed German conductor, Moritz Gnann.

Benjamin Powell (piano) with Northern Chamber Orchestra at The Stoller Hall, 22 March 2020, from £5 - Book now

Virtuoso pianist Benjamin Powell joins the Northern Chamber Orchestra for an exciting programme of Shostakovich, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Handel.

RNCM Opera 'Mansfield Park' at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 22–28 March 2020, from £21 - Book now

RNCM Opera presents a daring adaptation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, by composer Jonathan Dove and librettist Alasdair Middleton.

BBC Philharmonic: Poulenc/Shostakovich/Dvořák at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 26 March 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

Clemens Schuldt conducts the BBC Philharmonic in a delightful programme of Poulenc, Shostakovich and Dvořák at The Bridgewater Hall.

Eliza Carthy: Restitute Live at The Stoller Hall, 2 April 2020, from £11 - Book now

One of the most prominent figures in the English folk revival, Eliza Carthy is bringing her brilliant new solo album Restitute to The Stoller Hall.

The Grahams at The Stoller Hall, 9 April 2020, from £11 - Book now

With guitars and whiskey in tow, travelling troubadours The Grahams are soon to lay down their hats at The Stoller Hall, where they’ll perform songs from their forthcoming album, Kids Like Us.

BBC Philharmonic: Brahms/Mahler/Hindemith at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 16 April 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

This BBC Philharmonic concert features two gleaming works by Hindemith and Brahms, as well as a selection of songs from Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn.

BBC Philharmonic: Strauss/Schnittke/Shostakovich at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 30 April 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

From the dread of Schnittke to the playfulness of Strauss, this wide-ranging BBC Philharmonic programme is guaranteed to thrill.

Sam Sweeney Band at The Stoller Hall, 14 May 2020, from £20 - Book now

Veteran of the mighty Bellowhead, Sam Sweeney is carving out a remarkable solo career as a world-class fiddler. At The Stoller Hall, he’ll present music from his new album, Unearth Repeat.

Anthony Marwood (violin) with Northern Chamber Orchestra at The Stoller Hall, 15 May 2020, from £5 - Book now

With the Northern Chamber Orchestra, world-class violinist Anthony Marwood leads a thrilling programme featuring Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major.

BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – A Hallé Collaboration at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 16 May 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

The BBC Philharmonic is joined by the Hallé in a joint celebration of Beethoven, which sees Sir Mark Elder return to the podium for one night only.

The Hallé - Puccini’s Tragic Geisha at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 28–30 May 2020, from £14.50 - Book now

A climactic moment in the Hallé’s 2019-20 season, Puccini’s richly celebrated opera, Madama Butterfly, will be performed by a star-studded cast.

BBC Philharmonic: Sibelius/Debussy/Tom Coult/Respighi at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 4 June 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

Dedicated to the natural world, this BBC Philharmonic concert features familiar works by Sibelius, Debussy and Respighi, and a new commission by Tom Coult.

BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Missa solemnis at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 13 June 2020, from £12.50 - Book now

A work of towering proportions, and yet an intimate statement of religious faith. Beethoven’s Missa solemnis will be extraordinary at The Bridgewater Hall.

The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 3WS - Visit now

Home to the Hallé and the BBC Philharmonic orchestras, the Bridgewater Hall attracts some of the biggest names in classical music. Purpose-built to the tune of £42m, the hall was designed around its acoustic needs; it floats on 280 earthquake-proof isolations springs that mute all external noise, perfect for shielding around 250 performances a year from the trams outside.

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), 124 Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 9RD - Visit now

The Royal Northern College of Music is both a music venue and an academic institution training up some of the country’s finest music students.

The Stoller Hall, Hunts Bank, Manchester, M3 1DA - Visit now

Manchester’s new kid on the concert hall block, the Stoller Hall, opened its doors in April 2017 to further enhance the city’s already enviable live music provision.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Hope Street , Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 9BP - Visit now

The 1930s Art Deco Philharmonic Hall, home to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, gives no hint of the sensuous curves of the auditorium inside from its hard exterior.

Hallé St Peter’s, 40 Blossom Street, Ancoats, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 6BF - Visit now

Hallé St Peter’s is a deconsecrated Grade-II listed church, once a theatre prop store, then a knitting factory, before being restored and becoming home to the Hallé orchestra.

Albert Hall, 27 Peter Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 5QR - Visit now

Manchester’s Albert Hall is an astounding Wesleyan Chapel turned live music venue, regularly hosting classical concerts.

Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street, Manchester, M3 1SX - Visit now

Manchester Cathedral dates back to at least the 1400s and has been rebuilt many times. In current, striking form, it’s still a place of worship, but also host to regular gigs and events.