The Hallé Orchestra kicks off another blockbuster season at The Bridgewater Hall this September, launching the programme with a powerful and poignant opening concert.
Happening on Thu 24 Sep, the show features a deeply personal new symphony from The Hallé’s Featured Composer, James MacMillan, sitting alongside what is widely regarded as Beethoven’s greatest piano concerto.
Led by Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, Kahchun Wong, who enters his third season with the Hallé, the evening begins with Liszt’s Les préludes, which, after a tentative opening, erupts into a dramatic, stirring melody.
Receiving its world premiere, MacMillan’s Sixth Symphony remembers four close family members in musical portraits, each featuring a different section of the orchestra, before a final, fifth movement brings the whole orchestra back together. Throughout the season, The Hallé will be celebrating the much-loved works of the British composer, with this brand-new commission a major early highlight.
In what promises to be a spectacularly fitting finale, Sir Stephen Hough will bring things to a close with Beethoven’s masterful Emperor Concerto.
Speaking about the new season, Kahchun Wong says: “As I embark on my third incredible season with the Hallé, I continue to share the orchestra’s vision to welcome everybody, regardless of background or circumstances, to hear our music. Music brings us together, moves us and enriches our lives, and I look forward to seeing new and familiar faces in the audiences at my concerts with this great orchestra.”
Tickets to The Hallé Orchestra’s season opener are on sale now. Book yours below.
Featured image credit: Drew Forsyth
Thu 24 Sep, The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley St, Manchester M2 3WS
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Fri 14 Aug 2026
