Name: The Best of John Williams
Start: 2026-04-17T19:30:00
Location: The Bridgewater Hall

The Hallé Orchestra is set to dazzle Manchester in 2026 with a stellar lineup of events, celebrating the timeless allure of orchestral music. From Jonny Greenwood's innovative compositions to the legacy of renowned composers like Shostakovich and Vaughan Williams, audiences will be treated to a diverse array of musical expressions. With performances at iconic venues like The Bridgewater Hall and Manchester Cathedral, these events promise to be a feast for the senses, showcasing the talents of world-class musicians and offering a glimpse into the rich tapestry of orchestral artistry.

A Symphony of Diversity: Exploring The Hallé’s 2026 Concert Series

Stephen Bell

The Hallé

Following the lively ‘Courtly Dances’ from Britten’s opera Gloriana, Norwegian trumpeter, Tine Thing Helseth takes to the platform to perform this new, exciting work, written especially for her. Musically illustrating the biblical role of the trumpet and celebrating its vast expressive possibilities, Nico Muhly’s Doom Painting leads us on a dramatic journey through this historic instrument’s various iterations: ceremonial object for rituals and celebrations alike; harbinger of Doomsday; and jubilant instrument of the psalms.

Walton’s First Symphony

The Bridgewater Hall

Intended to be a test of both the soloist’s technical ability and their musicianship, the work overflows with cadenzas – short, often improvised passages of notes – which give the soloist ample opportunity for real virtuosic display. Viktoria Mullova, whose playing has been praised by critics and audiences alike for its immense agility and richness of tone, is sure to bring us an unforgettable performance.

Mullova Plays Brahms

Always a Hallé favourite, this celebratory performance offers each of the Hallé’s Youth Ensembles a chance in the spotlight. The youngest artists, in the Children’s Choir, illustrate their experiences through movement and music, members of the Youth Training Choir show how developing voices can work together and the oldest members, in the Youth Choir and Youth Orchestra, offer us a glimpse of the musicians of the future.

Hallé Youth Ensembles Celebration

Put through their paces the previous week, these shortlisted, emerging artists have been selected from hundreds of applicants around the world. To showcase their astonishing abilities, each finalist will conduct Bernstein’s Candide Overture before tackling one of these popular symphonic works:

Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition 2026 Final

Through its use of the chorus and vocal soloists as an integral part of its texture, Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony was a groundbreaking work in the symphonic and choral repertoire. Crafted around the poetic words of Walt Whitman, the work vividly and poignantly illustrates the journey of the human soul, through the metaphor of intrepid sailors weighing the anchor and exploring the ocean wide.

A Sea Symphony

Legendary film composer, John Williams’ music has inspired and captivated audiences worldwide for decades: from the iconic, spine-tingling themes of Star Wars and Jurassic Park to the enchanting melodies of Harry Potter and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and many more.

The Best of John Williams

‘One of the most unusual pieces written for cello’ (Bachtrack), Kurtág’s brilliant Double Concerto engages both soloists and an orchestra divided into two sparring sections, physically separated within the performance space, in an intense dialogue. What results is an extraordinary listening experience: surrounded by music from several directions at once.

The Unanswered Question

The Hallé Brass Quintet makes a welcome return with one of their characteristic mixed programmes. With music ranging from the Renaissance to the modern day, from the serious to the light-hearted, always a hugely popular event in the Chamber Series.

Chamber Series: Hallé Brass Quintet

Hallé St Peter's

Created as a recontextualization of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, this ground-breaking work takes the audience through a whole calendar year in just one hour of continuous music. Elegantly fusing fragments of Vivaldi with her own characteristic electronic music, Anna Meredith creates a striking reimagining of the classic work.

The Hallé Presents: ANNO: Four Seasons by Anna Meredith & Antonio Vivaldi

Aviva Studios, home of Factory International

Based on the poem by Nikolay Nekrasov, and quite opposed to its joyful title, Spring follows a husband who, previously inflicted with murderous thoughts towards his unfaithful wife during the winter, is released from his frustration with the return of spring.

Spring with Sir Mark Elder

Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.2 is one of the finest virtuosic showpieces for piano, requiring both technical ability and deep musicality from its soloist. As one of the prize winners in the 2021 Chopin Competition, Alexander Gadjiev has both in spades.

Dvořák’s Symphony No.8

Alexander Gadjiev makes his much-anticipated appearance in the Chamber Series with two piano quartets. Mozart essentially sets the piano as soloist against the ‘orchestra’ of the string trio, whilst Brahms integrates all four instruments into a seamless whole, especially in the gloriously lyrical third movement.

The Best of John Williams

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