The Hallé’s 2019-20 season, announced today, marks the 250th anniversary of Beethoven with a symphony cycle shared with the BBC Philharmonic, a residency with mezzo-soprano Alice Coote and two performances of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly (28 & 30 May 2020).
Sir Mark Elder’s first concert of the season sees the 2019 celebration of Berlioz’s music come to an end with a performance of Roméo et Juliette (5 October 2019). Joining him on stage is regular Hallé guest Alice Coote and Laurent Naouri together with the Hallé and RNCM Choirs. This performance is the first of three appearances by Alice Coote this season. Later in the year she will join Mary Bevan, Nicholas Mulroy and Morgan Pearse to sing Bach’s B Minor Mass (24 November 2019), with a final visit to Manchester on 7 May to sing in Mahler’s Symphony No.3. The season closes with two concert performances of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with a cast led by Eri Nakamura making her Hallé debut.
The orchestra’s Opus One Series will open on 10 September with Klaus Mäkelä conducting Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5 and Víkingur Ólafsson performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.1. Both will be making their Hallé debut, and lead the way in a season filled with emerging talent: conductors Tabita Berglund, Dalia Stasevska, Kazuki Yamada, saxophonist Jess Gillam and cellist Kian Soltani. Also taking place in February 2020 is the inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition to find the orchestra’s next Assistant Conductor. Two further conductors making their debut this season are Alondra de la Parra and Jonathan Nott, alongside regular guests including Nicholas Collon, Cristian Măcelaru, Gergely Madaras, Carlo Rizzi and Ryan Wigglesworth. An international roster of soloists perform with the Hallé this season such as violinists James Ehnes and Antje Weithaas, pianists Alexander Gavrylyuk and Benjamin Grosvenor, tenor Simon O’Neill, bass Brindley Sheratt and baritone Roderick Williams.
The Hallé, together with the BBC Philharmonic, will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birthday with a joint exploration of the composer’s symphonies. Opening the cycle on 30 January 2020, Mark Elder will conduct Symphony No.9. The Hallé’s cycle continues on 27 February where he will conduct the second act of Fidelio, with BBC Principal Guest Conductor Ben Gernon leading Symphony No.8. Gerard McBurney’s Beyond the Score returns to Bridgewater Hall on 11,12 & 15 March 2020 for Symphony No.5. The final two concerts in the Hallé’s Beethoven celebration are on 9 April with Symphony No.2 and Christ on the Mount of Olives and Symphony No.1 on 23 April.
Link to digital Hallé 2019/2019 season brochure https://www.halle.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/halle_2019-20_season_brochure.pdf