Acoustically there is still work proceeding, but it already has impressive impact and clarity, and when complete promises to be among the finest in the North.

It was appropriate that the Hallé had been invited to return to one of their favourite venues of yesteryear, bringing with them their charismatic conductor, Mark Elder, in a programme of classics.

Such a triumphal opening night was well served by the ceremonial overture to Wagner's opera, Die Meistersingers, the mixture of optimism and stateliness captured in an immaculate, unforced and affectionate performance.

Each of the "friends pictured therein" were strongly characterised as Elder took his warmly spontaneous promenade through Elgar's musical paintings in the Enigma Variations. It was an account without quirks or exaggerations that found every department of the orchestra in fine form and drew a standing ovation.

At the heart of the programme was Benjamin Frith as the soloist in Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto. Maybe a wish to make this an evening to remember brought about a brief memory lapse in his heavyweight performance, but it was playing totally out of character from this elegant pianist and best left to others who can offer less innate musicianship than we heard in his exquisite passages of the slow movement.