Sage Gateshead’s brand new classical season is launched today – and with music from Bach to Mendelssohn to Star Wars to Home Alone, there’s something for everyone to get excited about in this year’s jam-packed programme.
At the heart of the new season is Royal Northern Sinfonia’s 16-concert ‘At Home’ series, this year featuring the music of Bach and Sons & Daughters – music from the great man himself, his sons, and composers of later generations who have felt his influence most strongly – and RNS’ first complete cycle of the Mendelssohn Symphonies.
Other highlights include RNS Music Director Lars Vogt conducting Dvořák’s ‘New World’ symphony on Opening Night, Principal Guest Conductor Julian Rachlin performing Vivaldi’s ever-popular Four Seasons, the third year of Sage Gateshead’s New Year New Artists festival, and the welcome return of conductors Olli Mustonen, Clemens Schuldt and Alexandre Bloch.
Guest orchestras are back in force, with RNS welcoming the Brussels Philharmonic for their Sage Gateshead debut, as well as familiar friends the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (treating audiences to a performance of Philip Glass’ new Symphony No.11), the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, The Hallé, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchesta and Opera North. Not to mention a Christmas programme from one of the world’s greatest choirs, The Sixteen.
New this season is a series of solo piano recitals, Piano Greats, beginning with Music Director Lars Vogt performing his highly acclaimed Goldberg Variations, with subsequent recitals from Sage Gateshead favourite Imogen Cooper, YouTube sensation Anna Fedorova and Peter Donohoe, who came to the rescue last season with an astonishing performance of Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Concerto sitting in for Lars Vogt.
RNS’ popular Nights Out series continues in Sage One, including a Halloween Spooktacular, New York New York, Music of Star Wars, Best of Broadway and the highly anticipated Home Alone Live, an unmissable opportunity to see the cult Christmas film on the big screen, with John Williams’ Academy Award-nominated score performed live by RNS.
Once again Gateshead residents who have never been to a classical concert at Sage Gateshead are being offered the opportunity to come and hear their orchestra for the first time for FREE. The popular Bar 5 scheme also continues, whereby under 30s are entitled to concert tickets for just £5 – plus a free bottle of beer. And the great value package deals continue, with up to 25% discount on the cost of tickets across the season.
Packages go on sale on Thurday 1 June and the season goes on full public sale on Saturday 10 June. To book tickets go to classicalseason.com or visit Sage Gateshead Ticket Office either in person (open from 12pm) or by calling 0191 443 4661