I have very eclectic musical tastes, you may have seen me earlier posting my photo from the mosh pit at a Kasabian gig? Well, this week I have something a little more civilised for you. We were invited to the Christmas Classics at Birmingham Symphony Hall. I took along my three girls and we had a wonderful afternoon enjoying such delights as Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker (which Boo recognised instantly) and Handel’s Let the Bright Seraphim.
The performance was by the London Concert Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Choir with Adrian Lucas as conductor, Brian Blessed as reader and the lovely Elizabeth Atherton as soprano.
In between the great Christmas Classics we were all invited to join in with the carols. The girls loved this and sang with gusto.
Brian Blessed entertained us with two readings, Twas The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, and the ending of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. No microphone was required.
Elizabeth Atherton was beautiful and I particularly enjoyed her performances of Let the Bright Seraphim and Alleluia from Exsultate, jubilate by Mozart.
Overall the concert was mesmerising and entertaining. There were fun moments and it was joy to be able to join in with the carols. It really felt like Christmas and I would love to go again next year.
Symphony Hall has always been a favourite venue of mine, I have actually been on the stage there myself when I received my degree. It always holds a feeling of elegance and grandeur. I’ve already enjoyed many performances there from the Lollipop Proms to Mozart’s Magic Flute and in February I am returning to see Ocean Colour Scene perform an acoustic set.
The wonderful Brian Blessed |
The choir and orchestra |
I received tickets to Christmas Classics for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Oh it looks and sounds like a lovely concert. Next year I really must make more of an effort earlier on to get to these Christmas concerts with N. He's not been to a full classical concert yet, and next year I think he'll be old enough.
Thanks for linking up #MusicExploration