The Hallé to host a three-day celebration of iconic composer Philip Glass

Next month, The Hallé will host a three-day festival in collaboration with the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), celebrating the best-loved works of iconic American composer and master of minimalism, Philip Glass.

Curated by world-leading percussionist and conductor, Colin Currie, the festival, which takes over The Bridgewater Hall and RNCM, offers audiences a rare and exciting chance to hear a series of works dedicated to one of the most popular and influential figures of contemporary classical music.

On Thu 13 Feb, the Hallé, conducted by Robert Ames, performs alongside five-time Grammy Award winner and global superstar, Angélique Kidjo, to give the UK premiere of Philip Glass’s magnificent Ifè Songs which were written specifically for her.

Philip Glass said of his Ifè Songs and working with Angélique Kidjo: “This has been for me a wonderful musical journey. At the conclusion of our work together, when I could finally hear Angélique singing the text within the musical composition I had completed, I said to her, ‘Angélique, together we have built a bridge that no one has walked on before’. She replied with a burst of laughter as beautiful as any words she could sing”.

On Friday 14 February, the Hallé performs a lunchtime chamber concert of one of Philip Glass’s most popular and best-known works, Glassworks. Written in 1981, Glassworks was intended to be ‘walkman-suitable’ and was released as both a ‘home listening’ LP and an ‘on the go’ tape cassette. Due to high demand, extra seats have been added to this concert but you’ll want to book quickly to avoid disappointment.

The final concert, on Saturday 15 February, is a performance of Philip Glass’s collaboration with Frans Lanting of his Life: A Journey Through Time. This one-hour immersive audio-visual experience is an emotionally charged journey, combining Lanting’s stunning photography projected onto the big screen and accompanied by Philip Glass’s ever-changing musical textures and patterns.

The Philip Glass Festival takes place as part of ‘The Hallé Presents…’ series of contemporary music, curated and performed by Manchester’s Hallé orchestra with very special guests, dedicated to showcasing traditional orchestra in a different light.

For more information, or to book tickets, click the button below.

Featured image credit: Steve Pyke