Bridgewater Hall Concert

The Bridgewater Hall is Manchester’s international concert venue, built to give the best possible space for music. The Hall hosts over 300 performances a year including classical music, rock, pop, jazz, world music and much more.

The Hall is home to the Hallé orchestra and we were lucky enough to see Cityscapes, a programme of music with America at its core, conducted by Rodolfo Barráez.

The programme included:

Gershwin – An American in Paris;
Korngold – Violin Concerto with Ning Feng on violin;
Jennifer Higdon – City Scape; and
Bernstein – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

Rodolfo Barráez, made his first visit to the Hallé since excelling in the inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition. Gershwin’s portrait of an American enjoying the sights and sounds of Paris, complete with car horns, was followed by the Violin Concerto of Austrian émigré Korngold incorporating melodies from his lush scores for Hollywood movies. It was played by Ning Feng, International Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music and winner of the 2006 Paganini Competition, who made his debut at The Bridgewater Hall. Jennifer Higdon’s City Scape is her evocation of Atlanta: here, in the slow movement, its creeks and parks. Bernstein’s dynamic symphonic dances were expanded from his music-theatre classic in which Shakespeare’s ‘star-crossed lovers’ are relocated to New York.

Free events

Manchester Open Door Tour: Harri Shanahan – Rebel Dykes

HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN – Saturday 26 March, 2.00pm – 3.00pm

Free, but booking required as limited capacity of 30

For the final Manchester Open Door Tour, join Harri Shanahan (they/them), co-director and animator of Rebel Dykes who will deliver a unique tour focusing on animation, character design, mixed media, documentary processes and collaborative working.

Harri Shanahan (they/them) is a filmmaker, artist and animator based in Manchester. Harri co-directed and created animation for the feature documentary, Rebel Dykes (Bohemia Media, 2021). 

Harri learned animation independently through experimentation as part of a wider art practice that encompasses video, painting and performance.

Book here.

Superbia Cinema Presents Four Short LGBTQ+ ‘Coming of Age’ Films

Ducie Street Mini Cini! Ducie Street Warehouse, Ducie Street, Manchester M1 2TP

Wednesday 30 March, 6.00pm and 7.00pm – Free

Following another sold out screening in February, Superbia Cinema returns to Ducie Street Warehouse Mini Cini this month.

Join us for our next showcase of incredible work by LGBTQ+ creatives from Manchester curated by Joshua Hubbard.

The screening will be followed by a special Filmmaker Q&A, where Joshua will be chatting to the films’ creators.

Book here

Dame Gracy Memorial Event

Tribeca, 50 Sackville Street, Manchester M1 3WF – Friday 8 April, 6.30pm – Free

Join us at Tribeca on Sackville Street in the Gay Village for an evening dedicated to the life and times of Graham Giles, known to many as Dame Gracy.

Dame Gracy was an important gay activist in Manchester, a Gay Village legend, drag artist, uncle, friend, and much-missed community member who died in March 2021.

This event will tell the story of Gracy’s life, including short films, a timeline of Gracy’s life, speeches and stories from friends and family, photographs, memories and more.

The evening will include food, drink and music.

We are also gathering memories for a book dedicated to Gracy.

If you would like to know more about this event and project, please email greg@manchesterpride.com

Book here

Manchester Pride Community Session – Biphoria

People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Manchester M3 3ER – Tuesday 12 April, 6.00pm – 7.30pm – Free

The next session will be hosted by the wonderful Biphoria and will take place on Tuesday 12 April from 6.00pm till 7:30pm at People’s History Museum, if you’d like to join us please register for your free ticket using the link here.