Manchester Classical
Johnny James, Managing EditorBook now
Manchester Classical
Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.
Manchester Classical returns to The Bridgewater Hall with a vibrant weekend of music that reaffirms the city’s reputation as a hive of world-class classical activity – and a place where collaboration is second nature.
Following its Royal Philharmonic Society Award-winning debut in 2023, the festival doubles down on what made it special: big ideas, shared platforms, and a classical offer that’s as much about curiosity and connection as it is about canon. It brings Manchester’s classical scene together – not just on stage, but in spirit – through co-commissions, cross-ensemble performances, and a shared sense of purpose that runs throughout the weekend.
Across three days, you’ll hear from the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera, Manchester Collective, Riot Ensemble and the RNCM – plus choirs, community groups, and a few surprise names from further afield. From Mahler to Missy Mazzoli, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood to the Chorus of ENO, the programme spans the familiar, the surprising, and the seriously ambitious.
Friday night opens with a minimalist masterclass: Steve Reich’s hypnotic Pulse, performed by the Hallé and featuring Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood on electric bass. Greenwood’s love of Reich is well-documented, but seeing him join Manchester’s flagship orchestra in person promises something special. The programme also includes Clapping Music and Variations for Vibes, Piano and Strings – a playful, propulsive way to start the weekend.
Saturday brings an all-day programme that takes the path less travelled, running from CBeebies to Bernstein. Things kick off with the BBC Philharmonic performing Three Billy Goats Gruff from Musical Storyland, before the Hallé Children’s Choir take to the stage. In the afternoon, the RNCM Symphony Orchestra tackles Mahler’s Second – a spiritual epic, colossal in scope and ambition.
Later, the ever-unpredictable Riot Ensemble brings a punch of contemporary colour, while the BBC Phil returns in the evening with a cinematic, jazz-tinged blockbuster: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration, and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.
On Sunday, the BBC Phil hits the family note again with a live score performance of Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures, while the Chorus of ENO (in their Manchester debut) joins the Hallé for a set of opera favourites. Manchester Collective – always one to keep you guessing – takes over the main stage with The Body Electric, featuring works by Bach, Missy Mazzoli and Julia Wolfe’s bone-rattling LAD for nine cellos.
The festival closes with a city-wide crescendo: all major ensembles joining forces for Respighi’s Pines of Rome, John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and a brand-new commission from Iain Farrington – a piece written for this moment, and this city.
As always, Manchester Classical isn’t just about the headline concerts. Free performances, workshops and family activities run across the weekend, including gospel choirs, community ensembles, and Indian classical voices – a reflection of the city’s musical diversity.
Whether you’re an aficionado or just curious, this festival opens its doors wide.
