Classical Preview: Baritone to help room cement top venue claim

Celebrating its first birthday, the adaptability and outstanding acoustics of the Howard Assembly Room has staked its claim as the region's finest chamber music venue.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jan 2010, 11:35 BST
Updated 8th Jan 2010, 11:35 BST

The season opens tomorrow night with the baritone, Christopher Purves, singing Schubert's haunting song cycle, Schwanengesang. Having already appeared as Balstrode in Opera North's award-winning production of Britten's Peter Grimes, he is here joined by the pianist, Simon Lepper.

From the other end of the musical time spectrum comes one of the most highly regarded Early Music groups, The Tallis Scholars. They are bringing two of the best known works from the Renaissance era, Allegri's Miserere Mei having become part of the vocal "pop" repertoire, while Palestrina's Surge Illuminare stakes a claim to be the towering masterpiece of that era.

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Many of our concert venues have rather overlooked the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, but here we have the great British pianist, John Lill, providing a wide-ranging programme of his best-loved pieces (Mar 24).

In the first of two introductions to Opera North's major winter productions, the mezzo, Jessica Walker, and pianist, James Holmes, savour the sounds of Bohemian love in Paris in the 1950s as a prelude to the opening night of La Boheme (Jan 15).

Then you can then sample the preparations that go into the making of an opera by eavesdropping on a rehearsal for Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte (Feb 1), or simply show them how it should be done by giving vent to your voice with the company in "Sing ON" (Mar 21).

Christopher Purves, Howard Assembly Room, Jan 9, 7.30pm.Call 0844 8482727.