The Hallé – The Damnation of Faust at The Bridgewater Hall

Johnny James, Managing Editor
The Hallé

The Hallé - The Damnation of Faust at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre 10 February 2019 Tickets from £14 — Book now

It has been more than seventy years since the Hallé last performed Hector Berlioz’ The Damnation of Faust. Remarkably, Sir Charles Hallé (founder of the Hallé) was not only a great friend of Berlioz, but the first to introduce the composer’s masterwork into England. This new opportunity to experience the French composer’s ‘dramatic legend’ at The Bridgewater Hall is thus long overdue. For the occasion, Sir Mark Elder has assembled an appropriately stellar cast alongside massed choirs from the Hallé. They will expertly guide us through Berlioz’ celebrated music, and a heartbreaking story of human love and devilish deception.

Regarded as one of the quintessential myths of western culture, the story of Faust was an obsession for many great composers in the nineteenth century. Upon discovering Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s legendary play, Berlioz could not put it down, recalling in his Memoir: “I read it incessantly, at meals, in the theatre, in the street”. Defying easy categorisation, the fable is both a tragedy and dark comedy, and is told by Goethe in a form which at once resembles a drama and an epic poem. Berlioz’ epic retelling of the Faust tale is an equally complex affair. Part opera, part oratorio, his ‘dramatic legend’ is a choral work like no other.

Colossal in scale, Berlioz’ original score called for four soloists, a children’s chorus, a seven-part choir and an orchestra. Featuring a pandemonium of sound, it somewhat perplexed audiences who first heard it in 1846. Honking bassoons, ranks of timpani, and a tumult of brass were called to play in unusual ranges and even more unusual combinations. Terrifying passages of demonic fury were interspersed with tender moments of religious piety. Still wildly entertaining today, it is celebrated for its dazzling orchestral brilliance. With great anticipation, we look forward to the Hallé’s interpretation of this tempestuous work.

The Hallé - The Damnation of Faust at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre 10 February 2019 Tickets from £14 Book now

What's on at The Bridgewater Hall

Where to go near The Hallé – The Damnation of Faust at The Bridgewater Hall

Manchester
Restaurant
Midland Tea Room

Dating back to 1903, Manchester’s stately Midland Hotel now has its own dedicated tea room. Expect traditional offerings in elegant surroundings.

Society Manchester
City Centre
Society Manchester

Society Manchester is a glorious indoor and outdoor space in the very heart of the city, with five street food vendors to choose from and a range of high-quality drinks.

Manchester
Restaurant
Friska

Latest branch of Friska, the independent healthy fast food chain.

Manchester
Restaurant
Don Giovanni

Traditional Italian restaurant, serving everything from pizza to steak. All this in a large modern venue with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Haunt MCR
Manchester
Bar or Pub
Haunt MCR

Haunt MCR is a speciality coffee shop and wine bar located on Manchester’s bustling Peter Street.

City Centre
Restaurant
ONDA Pasta Bar

ONDA is a treat for the tastebuds. Long dark wood tables are shared by eager diners, as tapas-style plates of fresh pasta and other Italian dishes are ferried around the restaurant.

City Centre
Event venue
3Space Manchester

The building consists of five floors of 10,000sqft in an L shape configuration – three of which are open-plan and the other two floors are divided into studio size spaces.

City Centre
Restaurant
Nudo Sushi Box

Nudo Sushi Box on Manchester’s Oxford Road specialises in freshly-prepared boxes of – you guessed it – sushi.

City Centre
Bar or Pub
Peveril Of The Peak

Iconic Manchester pub adorned with the sorts of bottle green, yellow and brown Victorian tiles that are a reclamation yard’s dream – this gem of a boozer is named after Sir Walter Scott’s novel of the same name and was a favourite hang-out of Eric Cantona.

What's on: Music

Until
ActivityManchester
DJ Gym at Hatch

Learn some DJ and production skills with DJ Gym Manchester, based in the culturally infused surrounds of Hatch.

from £269
Until
MusicManchester
RNCM Autumn Season

The RNCM’s Autumn Season brings with it an incredibly diverse programme of live music from across the genre spectrum. Here are our highlights.

from £8.50

Culture Guides

Music in Manchester and the North

Spotlighting global artists who all, in one way or another, break the mould, we preview the best gigs happening this side of Christmas and beyond.