Orchestra of Opera North to open Dewsbury lunchtime concerts with Beethoven and rare ballet gems

Associate Leader of Orchestra of Opera North, Andrew Long, will be joined by Ian Buckle on piano to open a new season of Lunchtime Concerts at Dewsbury Town Hall on Wednesday, September 21, with a famously difficult Beethoven Violin Sonata along with some lesser-known gems.

Andrew said: “Beethoven’s magnificent ‘Kreutzer’ Sonata was first performed by the virtuoso violinist George Bridgetower, with Beethoven at the piano.

“It was so successful that the Viennese audience demanded that the beautiful second movement was encored before the players could move on to the last movement.

“The opening solo violin chords strike fear into every violinist, and it has even been known for legendary players to run onto the platform and begin to play before the audience has stopped clapping, so they can’t be heard.

“One of my violinistic loves is unearthing hidden or forgotten gems of the repertoire, so I’ll also be playing two of my very favourite pieces written by Franz von Vecsey, himself a child prodigy, who was the recipient of Sibelius’s dedication of his violin concerto at the tender age of twelve.

“Our programme also includes two large concertmaster solos from the world of classical Russian ballet.”

Lunch will be served at Dewsbury Town Hall from 11.30am on concert days, with Andrew and Ian taking the stage at 12.30pm on Wednesday, September 21.

Tickets for Dewsbury Lunchtime Concerts are £5 plus booking fee.

Tickets can be booked in person at Kirklees Town Hall box offices, via telephone on 01484 225755 or online at tickets.kirklees.gov.uk