Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
What a way to return from a lengthy break. After the dearth of new shows since Christmas I was looking forward to getting back in the saddle and this production, which appeared to be more like a musical than a full-blown opera, seemed just the thing. It was written in 1948 by Kurt Weill and…
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There is something about brass bands at Christmas which just seems right. Whether it is because it is the time when the Salvation Army regale shoppers with their renditions of carols, I don’t know, but it certainly adds a festive cherry to the fruit cake. Now where’s the Wensleydale? Naturally, the programme comprised a selection…
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After last week’s visit to Howard Assembly Room to see a South African cellist who had the audience up on their feet and rocking, this concert could not have been more different. That is the attraction of this venue, apart from the staff and the building itself. Arve Henriksen is a Norwegian trumpeter and tech…
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Any concert by Manchester Collective or Abel Selaocoe is well worth seeking out, but one which includes them both transcends the term concert and becomes an event and one which should not be missed. I first saw this collaboration in March 2022 in a work called The Oracle, and was more than impressed. That ensemble…
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What better way could there be on a November evening when the sun has chosen not to appear for several days, leaving us only in the company of grey, dank and moist weather, than to enjoy the fun and sheer exuberance of a band from sunny Senegal, where the smiles shine brighter than the star…
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Continuing my previews for the rest of the year it is the turn of probably the most famous venue in Leeds, The City Varieties Music Hall. As usual, it is hosting some of the best live performers currently on tour. Everything from music, comedy, personal appearances by well known personalities and miscellaneous to events such…
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Now that the weather has at last turned warmer and the sun has come out, our attention obviously turns to the autumn and winter. As the next few weeks are a bit of a fallow period for a few of the established venues, I thought that I would give you the heads up on what…
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Another visit to Howard Assembly Room. I love this place as it presents acts which are a little more niche, meaning that I would not normally get to see them. Most have been pleasant surprises but there have been some disappointments and, sadly, this was in the latter category. The evening began with a short…
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Finally I get to sample a standing event at the amazing Howard Assembly Room by actually being on the floor rather than looking on enviously from the balcony. I must thank Opera North for making sure I was catered for in the seating arrangements following my various health issues over the past eighteen months or…
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Regular readers will know how much I enjoy Opera North’s lunchtime concerts at Dewsbury Town Hall – the next one is The Romantic Violin on Wednesday, 15th May – well, here we had a bonus edition at Howard Assembly Room in Leeds. The starting time was a little earlier, being 11.00am and instead of sandwiches,…
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