The Hallé Orchestra delivered another mesmerising evening at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on Thursday, with the world premiere of Anna Clyne’s reimagining of Steve Reich’s Proverb and a spectacular performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, both conducted by acclaimed young talent Tess Jackson.
The evening opened with Clyne’s orchestral arrangement of Reich’s 15-minute piece, originally composed in 1995 for five singers, two vibraphones and two electric organs.
Clyne, a former composer-in-residence with Manchester’s BBC Philharmonic, worked closely with Reich on the new arrangement, which went through seven versions before reaching its final form. Speaking at The Bridgewater Hall, she explained that the piece was a tribute to the composer in celebration of his recent 90th birthday.
Inspired by philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s words, ‘How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life!’, the arrangement sees a simple musical idea gradually grow in depth and intensity, with the original vocal parts replaced by a fuller orchestral sound.
The second half of the evening belonged to Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, a sweeping symphonic suite inspired by the centuries-old collection of tales, The Thousand and One Nights. The story follows Scheherazade, who cleverly postpones her execution by captivating a murderous sultan with a new tale each night, always leaving him eager to hear what happens next.
Across four distinct movements, the music takes audiences on a journey, starting with the rolling waves of The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship, shifting between calm and thunderous intensity, then moving into the adventurous Story of the Kalendar Prince, filled with playful passages and bursts of drama.
The third movement, The Young Prince and the Young Princess, offers a beautifully romantic change of pace, while Festival at Baghdad draws together themes from across the work in an energetic finale. The music builds towards a dramatic shipwreck, eventually settling into a peaceful ending.
Coming up at The Bridgewater Hall
Next up, the Hallé swaps classical masterpieces for rock ‘n’ roll, joining forces with acclaimed Elvis tribute artist Lee Memphis King for Elvis: Viva Las Vegas on Sat 21 Nov.
Under the baton of conductor Stephen Bell, the orchestra will recreate the sound of Elvis’s Vegas years, with King’s band and backing singers bringing classics including All Shook Up, Heartbreak Hotel, Suspicious Minds and Can’t Help Falling in Love to life. Expect glitz, extravagant costumes and some of The King’s biggest hits, all backed by the Hallé.
Featured image credit: Sofia Marincic
- Words:
- Rebekah Spratt
- Published on:
- Tue 10 Nov 2026
