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An outstanding orchestra live in a world-class concert hall – the BBC Philharmonic’s annual season at The Bridgewater Hall is the highlight of Manchester’s classical calendar.
From concert-hall rarities to established classics, this season features some wonderful programmes, a number of which will be presented by new Chief Conductor, Omer Meir Wellber.
With new music a key part of the orchestra’s mission, except UK and world premieres from the likes of Philip Grange, Jeffrey Mumford, Kalevi Aho, Sofia Gubaidulina and Tom Coult.
We’ll also hear from the more traditional repertoire, with Beethoven shining particularly brightly this season. Marking 250 years since the composer’s birth, the orchestra is teaming up with the Hallé to perform all of Beethoven’s symphonies and a selection of his choral music.
Elsewhere, we’re looking forward to Walton’s quintessentially British Symphony No. 1, Mahler’s majestic Symphony No. 5 and Shostakovich’s fiercely controversial Symphony No. 12, along with plenty more familiar favourites from the likes of Berlioz, Bruckner and Dvořák.
Read about all of these concerts below, in our guide to the BBC Philharmonic’s 2019-20 season at The Bridgewater Hall.
Here are our picks
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1. BBC Philharmonic: Mumford/Mendelssohn/Mahler at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Mumford/Mendelssohn/Mahler at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 24 October 2019, 6:30 pm–9:00 pm, from £5.50 - Book now
The second concert in the BBC Philharmonic’s 2019-20 season is a wonderfully varied one. Spanning three centuries, the programme features fine works by Mahler, Mendelssohn and Jeffrey Mumford. Conducted by Joana Carneiro and starring pianist Denis Kozhukhin.
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2. BBC Philharmonic: Stravinsky/Grange/Tchaikovsky at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Stravinsky/Grange/Tchaikovsky at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 2 November 2019, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £5.50 - Book now
From a winter-gazing symphony by Tchaikovsky to an animal-inspired world premiere by Philip Grange, this BBC Philharmonic concert celebrates the many faces of nature.
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3. BBC Philharmonic: Wagner/Bruckner at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Wagner/Bruckner at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 9 November 2019, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £5.50 - Book now
From the grandiose to the delicate, this wide-ranging programme features two 19th century giants at the heights of their powers. Starring Sally Matthews, one of Britain’s finest sopranos.
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4. BBC Philharmonic – Aho/Tarkiainen/Shostakovich at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Aho/Tarkiainen/Shostakovich at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 21 November 2019, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £5.50 - Book now
Opening with a hair-raising Theremin Concerto and closing with a symphony which has for years divided opinion, here we have a delightfully off-kilter programme from the BBC Philharmonic.
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5. BBC Philharmonic: Milhaud/Ravel/Prokofiev at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Milhaud/Ravel/Prokofiev at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 28 November 2019, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £12.50 - Book now
Featuring a frolicsome ballet score by Milhaud as well as Prokofiev’s vivacious Seventh, this BBC Philharmonic concert promises to be a particularly joyous one.
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6. BBC Philharmonic: Gubaidulina/Bruckner at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Gubaidulina/Bruckner at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 14 December 2019, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £12.50 - Book now
Omer Meir Wellber’s first Bridgewater Hall concert as the BBC Philharmonic’s Chief Conductor is set to be a great one, featuring works by Sofia Gubaidulina and Bruckner.
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7. BBC Philharmonic: Clyne/Vaughan Williams/Berlioz at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Clyne/Vaughan Williams/Berlioz at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 18 January 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £12.50 - Book now
Bookended by two wild works by Anna Clyne and Berlioz and featuring Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, this BBC Philharmonic concert promises to dazzle.
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8. BBC Philharmonic: Szymanowski/Myaskovsky at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Szymanowski/Myaskovsky at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 1 February 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £12.50 - Book now
The BBC Philharmonic presents two Eastern European masterpieces as well as an epic symphony by Myaskovsky. Starring acclaimed violinist Tasmin Little OBE.
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9. BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 6 February 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, 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.
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10. BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 15 February 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, 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.
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11. BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven – Mass in C Major at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Beethoven - Mass in C Major at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 7 March 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, 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.
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12. BBC Philharmonic: Strauss/Mozart/Wagner at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Strauss/Mozart/Wagner at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 21 March 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, 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.
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13. BBC Philharmonic: Poulenc/Shostakovich/Dvořák at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Poulenc/Shostakovich/Dvořák at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 26 March 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, from £12.50 - Book now
Clemens Schuldt conducts the BBC Philharmonic in a delightful programme of Poulenc, Shostakovich and Dvořák at The Bridgewater Hall.
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14. BBC Philharmonic: Brahms/Mahler/Hindemith at The Bridgewater Hall
Matt Squire BBC Philharmonic: Brahms/Mahler/Hindemith at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 16 April 2020, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm, 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.
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