The Hallé – Wigglesworth’s Piano Concerto at The Bridgewater Hall

Mendelssohn – A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Selection
Ryan Wigglesworth – Piano Concerto
Schumann – Symphony No.2

Conductor
Ryan Wigglesworth

Featuring:
Marc-André Hamelin, piano

Hallé Artist in Association, Ryan Wigglesworth, conducts a programme centred around his Piano Concerto, premiered at the 2019 BBC Proms by another ever welcome Hallé guest, Marc-André Hamelin, dubbed by the New York Times as ‘A performer of near-superhuman technical prowess’. Of Mozartian Classical proportions, Wigglesworth describes his concerto’s four movements as ‘studies in character’, at its heart an intimate ‘Notturno’, based on a Polish folksong he first heard around a campfire. Among critical plaudits, The Times lauded Wigglesworth’s ‘conjuror’s ability to cast a spell’. The concert opens with characters embroiled in Midsummer mayhem as portrayed in Mendelssohn’s magical score to Shakespeare’s play. Schumann’s Second Symphony is a journey from darkness to light, consciously emulating Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, composed after serious illness and enshrining the composer’s love for his wife Clara.

Tuning Up - 6.30pm in the auditorium Ryan Wigglesworth and Marc-André Hamelin discuss the connection between Mendelssohn and Schumann with a short performance from Chetham’s students. - Free to concert ticket holders Your safety and well-being The safety and well-being of our audiences and players is the Hallé and The Bridgewater Hall’s first concern. In keeping with Government expectations and recommendations, we are strongly advising everyone to continue to wear face coverings, where possible. The Hall will continue its thorough cleaning regime between performances, and we expect hand sanitizer to continue to be widely available. We urge you to consult The Bridgewater Hall website which has full and regularly updated details. Security Patrons should note the measures in place for admission to The Bridgewater Hall.