IF you want to open an orchestral season with flair then look no further than a series of concerts that are coming up at Huddersfield Town Hall.
Last week we had news of Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra opening its new season with an ambitious staged version of Puccini’s La Boheme.
Now we have the return of the Orchestra of Opera North with a spectacular start to its new season.
“We always wanted to open the season with something that has a big gala feel,” said Opera North’s concerts director, Dougie Scarfe.
“There’s no bigger piece than the Saint-Saëns. It is a fantastic piece to open the season in Huddersfield.”
What Dougie is talking about is Saint-Saëns’ popular organ Symphony which is the perfect vehicle to showcase Huddersfield Town Hall’s remarkable Father Willis organ.
Better still for many music fans in Huddersfield is that the soloist for Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No 3 will be none other than Joseph Cullen, chorus master of Huddersfield Choral Society.
A previous organ scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, Joseph’s career extends from organist and conductor to his innovative approach to choral training which has established him as one of the leading choral conductors in the country.
“Joseph is delighted to be playing for us and it will be fantastic,” said Dougie.
This concert opener for the new Kirklees season is on Thursday September 22 (7.30pm) and will feature an all French programme conducted by the French maestro Frédéric Chaslin.
The Paris-born conductor’s operatic and symphonic career have taken him to the biggest concert and opera houses and festivals.
He conducted more than 110 performances at the State Opera in Vienna, he’s a regular guest at the MET opera in New York, at the Munich state opera and at the Berlin Deutsche Oper.
His operatic repertoire covers more than 120 works in five languages and he is also a piano soloist and a composer.
Chaslin will combine all of those skills in the works chosen for the concert in Huddersfield.
“He is a real maestro. He will be conducting the Ravel Piano Concerto in G and will be directing the piece from the piano,” said Dougie.
The second half of the concert will feature the world premiere of this remarkable musician’s own Gypsy Dance from his opera, Wuthering Heights.
Frederic Chaslin, the composer, has already written five operas. Le Cime Tempestose, Wuthering Heights, which was recorded in Valencia with the Philharmonia Orchestra chorus and international soloists.
Later this month, Huddersfield audiences will be the first to hear a five or six minute gypsy dance from, Wuthering Heights, the opera he has based on Emily Bronte’s gothic romance set high on the Yorkshire moorlands.
“Chaslin is working in Santa Fe where he is the opera company’s chief conductor,” said Dougie.
“He conducted a mainstage production of Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust for us at Opera North and it was fantastic.
“He is also going to be conducting a concert with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra next year.”
The concert will also feature pieces from some of the all-time great French composers, beginning with Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun).
Tickets from Kirklees information offices on 01484 223200.
Talking Music, a pre-concert talk, is at 6.40pm.
