Tag Archives: Huddersfield

Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North Conductor: Dalia Stasevska Soloist: Ana Maria Labin (soprano) Reviewer: Ron Simpson For the final concert in the Kirklees 2018-2019 season, the Orchestra of Opera North presented a programme under the title “Reflections”. Given that it started with Lutoslawski’s Musique funebre, continued with Richard Strauss’ Four Last Songs of which the final line translates as “Is ...

Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North Conductor: Antony Hermus Soloist: Boris Giltburg (piano) Reviewer: Ron Simpson The latest in the Orchestra of Opera North’s Kirklees concerts, programmed for late Sunday afternoon, again emphasised the orchestra’s versatility. This concert of Russian works of the late 19th and 20th centuries came in the middle of a run of three operas at Leeds Grand, ...

Writer and director: Olivia Race Reviewer: Jay Nuttall The stockings may be hung by the chimney with care, In the hope that St Nicholas soon will be there, But Saint Nick seems to have fallen asleep in the chair, And it’s up to two elves to get the sleigh in the air! This is the premise for Front Room Productions’ ...

Writer: Based on the books by Julia Donaldson Composer: René Aubry Conductor: Terry Davies Reviewer: Laura Stimpson Animations based on books written by Julia Donaldson are becoming a Christmas tradition, thanks to the BBC having released a new one, aired on Christmas day for the last few years.  What a great opportunity presented at Christmas time by The Orchestra of ...

Writer: Andrew Pollard Director: Joyce Branagh Musical Director: Rebekah Hughes Assistant Director: Rachel Gee Designer: Mark Walters at Glitter Pantomimes Reviewer: Ron Simpson Aladdin follows the always successful formula of the Lawrence Batley Theatre – and indeed several other theatres in the area: an essentially traditional approach, though with regional variation, a talented and hard-working ensemble of maybe seven or ...

Music: Sophy Smith and Tim Dickinson Director: Kevin Finnan Choreography: Kevin Finnan, with additional material from the company Reviewer: Rich Jevons Charge is the final part of Motionhouse's Earth Trilogy, developing on themes explored in Scattered (2009) and Broken (2013), celebrating the company's 30th anniversary. Director Kevin Finnan worked closely with Professor Frances Ashcroft of Oxford University, author of The ...

Film Director: William A. Wellman Composer: Carl Davis Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North Conductor: Carl Davis Reviewer: Ron Simpson At the end of the showing of Wings at Huddersfield Town Hall, a sizable proportion of the audience rose in a standing ovation. Who or what were they applauding? William Wellman, dead these 40-odd years, for an inspired piece of film-making? ...

Writer: Neil Gore Adapted from the novel by Robert Tressell Director: Louise Townsend Reviewer: Ron Simpson Townsend Productions’ first two-man tour was of Neil Gore’s cut-down version of Stephen Lowe’s adaptation of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. The success of that tour has led to five more tours of powerful, committed, imaginatively and entertainingly presented agit-prop pieces based on real events, ...