Opera North’s Simon Boccanegra An Immersive Experience
It was a pleasure to be invited back to St George’s Hall in Bradford for a performance of Opera North’s Simon Boccanegra. It’s a beautiful concert hall filled with memories from various gigs over the years. Opened in 1853 and recently refurbished, this Grade II-listed building is a centrepiece for Bradford’s City of Culture 2025 celebrations.
George Michael Singers A Fast-Paced Set
In the week that George Michael was posthumously nominated for an Ivor Novello Award for the most performed work (Last Christmas), the George Michael Singers arrive at The Alexandra, Birmingham, to share their stories and celebrate one of the world's greatest selling singer/songwriters, who sadly passed just over 8 years ago.
Albums: Now Yearbook ‘89
.jpeg)
Now Yearbook ‘89 CD1: Queen – I Want It All; Billy Joel – We Didn’t Start The Fire; Tina Turner – The Best; Cher – If I Could Turn Back Time; Belinda Carlisle – Leave A Light On; Deborah Harry – I Want That Man; Chris Rea – The Road To Hell Part 2; Mike + The Mechanics – The Living Years; Simple Minds – Belfast C…
Red Ladder Local Brings Two Powerful Shows To Leeds
A thought-provoking show about a nuclear weapons treaty, and a poignant one-woman play set against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, are brought to Leeds next month by Red Ladder Local.
I’m Making Ink From Bradford’s Football Stadium
Athletes seem to follow me around. An ex-colleague once played professionally for a football club. One of my best friends at school missed out on being a full-time goal keeper due to injury. When the Grand Départ for the Tour De France was hosted in Yorkshire, I created a Calligraphy that boldly sat on the Brontë landscape.
Classical Music: Gipps: Orchestral Works, Vol. 4
.jpg)
This latest Chandos release further cements Ruth Gipps' reputation as a composer of significance and imagination—a testament to both her compositional brilliance and Gamba's unwavering advocacy.
Classical Music: Elgar The Dream of Gerontius
One might reasonably question whether a Finnish ensemble could authentically capture this quintessentially English work, yet under Nicholas Collon's assured baton, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra delivers an endearing performance that reveals a profound understanding of the score.
Longlist For Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel Of The Year 2025
Harrogate International Festivals has announced the 18 titles longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2025, the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious crime fiction award, now in its twenty-first year.
Northern Ballet's Jane Eyre: A Powerfully Emotive Interpretation of Brontë's Classic
From first reading Jane Eyre whilst at school, I have never tired of revisiting this well-loved classic, and this evening's interpretation by the Northern Ballet does not disappoint.
Rapturous, Appreciative Applause For The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe
On the opening night at the Grand Opera York, celebrating the 75th anniversary of C.S. Lewis's classic novel, we watched in awe and wonder as The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe came to life in this spectacular production, directly from the West End.
Nation Of Interrupted Readers: Nearly Half Of UK Adults Say Distraction Stops Them Reading
The Reading Agency’s ‘State of the Nation in Adult Reading 2025’ report reveals a growing reading crisis, especially among younger adults, who report distraction as one of the most common barriers to reading for pleasure in the UK.
In conversation with Andy Bell
.jpeg)
Besides being a member of Erasure, Andy Bell has a successful solo career. In May, a European tour will accompany the release of a new album, Ten Crowns. The album embraces a milestone, with Andy turning sixty last year— an occasion that is celebrated throughout the album of euphoric songs produced and polished in Nashville.
Be Prepared To Be Scared: Ghost Stories
As someone who shrieks and jumps out of their skin at the unexpected - to the abject embarrassment of their nearest and dearest - I approached reviewing Ghost Stories with trepidation. The magnificent almost two centuries old Newcastle Theatre Royal could not be a more appropriate venue for the spine-tinging show.
Jay Rayner Joins Leeds Conservatoire Students For Jazz Performance
In an exciting first for the Sounds of Leeds Conservatoire series, special guest Jay Rayner performed with students in front of a packed audience. The writer, journalist, broadcaster and musician has performed live for many years, both as a jazz pianist and in one man shows associated with his books.
City Of Culture Turns Page For World Book Night
.JPG)
The Reading Agency is inviting the people of Bradford to join a mass ‘read-in’ to mark World Book Night on Wednesday April 23, with one thousand Quick Read books handed out to the public for free.
Lucy Spraggan's Magical Tour
Anyone watching Lucy Spraggan's audition for The X Factor could immediately see that she stood out from her contemporaries. Armed with her own composition, Last Night, she had a decent voice and a playfully intelligent way with words. Unsurprisingly, she became the first ever contestant to score a Top 40 single and album with her independently released record off the back of the auditions.
Rocket Science, Secrets And Reconciliation: A Daughter’s Cold War Odyssey
.png)
When I picked up The Gorodomlya Island Project, I expected to learn something about Soviet rocket technology. What I found instead was a gripping Cold War narrative that blends historical revelation with personal redemption.
Albums: Stereophonics Make 'em Laugh, Make 'em Cry, Make 'em Wait
.jpg)
For those, this might not be the album. However, for those who appreciate a solidly structured song delivered by one of the finest vocalists out there, this album has all the key components.
Albums: Elton John and Brandi Carlile – Who Believes In Angels?
Swinging for the Fences – an up-tempo LGBT+ track – comes with a strong melody and an uplifting vibe.
Hiding From Memory: Darlings Of The Asylum By Noel O’Reilly
The Prologue of this gothic-flavoured novel sets a tone: women in a lunatic asylum are marching rhythmically down the stairs when a bird, trapped, tries to escape. It’s a clear metaphor for our protagonist’s situation.
Paula Through The Ages
Don’t worry If you’re out and about in Hull and spot a familiar-looking woman trying to listen in to other people’s conversations. Paula Wilcox is not being nosey just researching the local accent for her latest stage role.
Classical Music: Lalo: Symphonie espagnole
The unifying thread through this collection is Pablo de Sarasate, the Pamplona-born violinist who achieved virtuoso status by the remarkably early age of twelve. This prodigy was dispatched to the Paris Conservatoire, subsequently establishing his life in the French capital. Numerous significant concertos were dedicated to him by composers ranging from Bruch to Wieniawski.
Classical Music: Charles Wood: Songs For Voice And Piano
Drawing upon rich literary sources—from Christina Rossetti to Walt Whitman—and reflecting Wood's profound engagement with the Irish cultural revival, these compositions balance delicate lyricism with sumptuous harmonic textures, creating an intricate tapestry of emotional and intellectual depth.
Classical Music: Franz Liszt: Via Crucis & Solo Piano Works
The musicianship on this recording is utterly compelling, depicting the tensions as we journey through the Roman Catholic tradition's Stations of the Cross for choir and piano. Written in Rome in 1866 but considered too unusual by Liszt's publisher, this work was never performed in the composer's lifetime.
In Conversation: Abor & Tynna
.jpg)
2025 is definitely the year to not necessarily represent your home country. Ireland is being represented by a Norwegian soloist, Sweden by a Finnish trio and Germany have selected the Austrian sibling duo Abor & Tynna.
Five-Star Joyous Opera Heads To Aldborough Festival
Northern Aldborough Festival brings one of the UK’s most exciting opera companies, Wild Arts, to its summer line-up. Wild Arts bring their critically-acclaimed reimagining of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love set to a dreamy 1950's seaside resort. Audiences are invited to bring a picnic before the show and take in the grand surrounds of Aldborough Manor.
The Smartest Giant in Town
Middlesbrough Station Becomes Venue For Academic's New Artwork
Passengers and visitors to Middlesbrough Station can now see an artwork created by a Teesside University academic which celebrates the history and heritage of the Victorian station. 'And ever again…' is an installation produced by Catherine Bertola, a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art in the University’s School of Arts & Creative Industries, and is located within the ticket hall of the station.
Ryedale Festival 2025
Every year, the Ryedale Festival welcomes outstanding performers from all over the world to perform a wide-ranging and distinctive programme in the many spectacular venues in and around Ryedale, North Yorkshire – an area full of history and natural beauty.
In conversation with Emmy
NNorwegian pop star Emmy is no stranger to Eurovision. Her first experience of a similar format came in 2015, when she took part in the Melodi Grand Prix Junior at just 14 years old. Back in 2021, she fared well in the Melodi Grand Prix but did not make it to Eurovision. After building a following on TikTok, she found herself in the running for Ireland in the Eurosong 2025.