A touch of class! Star names set for Millennium Square concert in Leeds
Here's some news that will be music to the ears for lovers of a touch of classical class.
Millennium Square in Leeds is hosting an outdoor classical music spectacular on Saturday, July 30, it was announced today.
Top names appearing at the Leeds City Council-organised concert will include Popstar To Operastar winner Joe McElderry, soprano Laura Wright and violinist Jennifer Pike.
Also performing will be the acclaimed Manchester Camerata chamber orchestra.
The event – one of a series of concerts taking place in Millennium Square over the summer – will feature a specially-built and fully-seated auditorium.
Council leader Coun Judith Blake said: “The concert includes something for everyone and we’re delighted to be welcoming such high-profile artists to perform here in Leeds where I’m sure they will create an incredible atmosphere.
“Millennium Square is the perfect place to bring an outdoor classical concert back to Leeds, putting music and culture right at the heart of the city centre for everyone to enjoy in what I’m sure will be a truly unique event.”
Today’s announcement follows the loss of two staples of the Leeds cultural calendar in recent years.
Council bosses were forced to axe Temple Newsam’s annual Opera In The Park event in 2014 as they grappled with budget cuts.
And then last year it was announced that Classical Fantasia – staged in the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey – had also fallen by the wayside.
The new concert will be seen by many as a feather in Leeds’s cap as it works on its bid to be named European Capital of Culture 2023.
Tickets for the show – entitled A Classical Summer’s Evening – go on sale next Monday, May 23.
Prices start from £19.50, with discounts available for LEEDSCard and Breezecard holders and other concessions.
For more details, visit www.leeds.gov.uk/classical or ring 0113 224 3801.
The summer’s programme in Millennium Square will also include gigs by indie rock bands The Cribs and Ocean Colour Scene and a Motown-themed music extravaganza.
Boost for city’s cultural scene
The announcement of the Millennium Square classical concert follows the loss of two staples of the Leeds cultural calendar in recent years.
Council bosses were forced to axe Temple Newsam’s annual Opera In The Park event in 2014 as they grappled with budget cuts. And then last year it was announced that Classical Fantasia – staged in the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey – had also fallen by the wayside.
The new concert will be seen as a feather in Leeds’s cap as it works on its bid to be named European Capital of Culture 2023.