Top 3: Christmas concerts ft Manchester Camerata at the Albert Hall

Have yourself a classical little Christmas with Manchester’s orchestras. Here’s Wire’s pick of the concert crackers. At the Bridgewater Hall The Hallé offer an array of events, including their popular Carol Concerts (Sat 20 and Sun 21 Dec) and, joined by special guest soprano Elin Manahan Thomas (Thu 19 Dec), a programme of ‘showstopping Christmas classics’, but the Hallé standout is their complete concert version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker (Wed 10 Dec, 2.15pm; Thu 11 and Sun 14 Dec, 7.30pm) under conductor Andrew Gourlay. Manchester Camerata, conducted by Nicholas Kraemer offer a glorious Baroque around the Christmas tree treat in the Albert Hall (Sun 14 Dec, 3pm) The Trumpet Shall Sound features Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No 3, Corelli’s Christmas Concerto and carol arrangements of In The Bleak Midwinter and In Dulci Jubilo (we guess it’s not the Mike Oldfield version!). Norway’s Tine Thing Helseth is soloist in Albinoni’s Trumpet Concerto in D Minor. Finally, when you can almost smell the turkey roasting, the Hallé perform Howard Blake’s beautiful score to The Snowman at The Bridgewater alongside a big screen showing of the classic film, supported by Ian Stephen’s orchestral take on We’re Going On a Bear Hunt. (Thu 23 Dec, due to heavy demand, there’s an extra show at 6.30pm), Book soon or be disappointed.

Wed 10, Thu 11 & Sun 14 Dec  and Tue 23 Dec Hallé: The Nutcracker Suite and The Snowman, Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street M2 3WS. Tel: 0161 907 9000 www.halle.co.uk. Sun 14 Dec, Manchester Camerata: The Trumpet Shall Sound, Albert Hall, 27 Peter Street, M2 5QR. £34, £28, £21, £12 (concs available). www.manchestercamerata.co.uk