The Hallé has announced its 2023-24 season, packed with stunning music, stellar artists, world premieres and exciting new collaborations.

The Hallé has announced its 2023-24 season, packed with stunning music, stellar artists, world premieres and exciting new collaborations.

  • Mark Elder’s final season as Music Director
  • Thomas Adès appointed Artist-in-Residence for two seasons
  • The Hallé Presents – unique collaborations with contemporary artists including Nitin Sawhney and Steve Reich
  • Four 6pm hour-long RUSH HOUR concerts
  • Four Family Concerts throughout the season
  • Expansion of the Hallé Chamber Concerts at Hallé St Peter’s, following sell-out successes

Music Director Sir Mark Elder’s final season at the helm of the Hallé is marked not only by extraordinary music and world-class artists, but also by completely new strands of performance. Sir Mark opens the season with Mahler’s Ninth, the composer’s last completed symphony. Sir Mark’s concerts will form a series of special musical events including Ravel’s colourful Daphnis et Chloé with the Hallé Choir and another complete Ravel masterpiece – Mother Goose.

Rossini’s Stabat Mater, an inspirational vision of Mary at Christ’s crucifixion, will be followed by a rare performance of the original version of one of Verdi’s greatest achievements, Simon Boccanegra.

May 2024 sees Elgar’s Enigma Variations in a programme that also includes the European premiere of Sir Stephen Hough’s Piano Concerto, performed by the composer. Elgar’s popular work will also feature in a special Family Concert, one of four the orchestra will present this season.

Hallé Music Director Sir Mark Elder said:

“In June 2024 I will conduct my last concert in Manchester as Music Director of this exceptional orchestra. I could not wish for a better finale: a specially commissioned premiere of James MacMillan’s Timotheus, Bacchus and Cecilia with the Hallé Choir, Hallé Youth Choir and Hallé Children’s Choir. We close with Mahler’s Symphony No.5. Triumphant, bright and optimistic in its conclusion. Our work is pointless without audiences to hear it. People who come every month or once a year. Children from school, students from university, anyone who has ever heard our music out of curiosity. To every single one of you, thank you.”

Thomas Adès, one of our most celebrated living composers and conductors, joins the Hallé as Artist-in-Residence. Adès’s music will appear throughout this season, and the next. He will conduct an array of music as well as his own and feature at the piano in the hugely popular Chamber Music Series at Hallé St Peter’s.

New concert strands include:

  • Rush Hour kick-start your evening or avoid the evening traffic queues with hour-long performances of great music starting at 6pm.
  • The Hallé Presents a series of special collaborations with celebrated artists such as Nitin Sawhney, Jeff Mills, Jonny Greenwood and the legendary Steve Reich.
  • Family Concerts where you can unlock the codes of the Enigma Variations or discover the orchestra with our newly appointed Assistant Conductor, Euan Shields.

Throughout the season the Hallé will be joined by some of the world’s finest artists, including Benjamin Grosvenor, Jess Gillam, Stephen Hough, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and Tom Borrow, the latest winner of the prestigious Terence Judd – Hallé Award and a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist. An impressive roster of conductors includes Daniele Rustioni, Roderick Cox, Chloé van Soeterstede and Kahchun Wong.

Hallé Chief Executive David Butcher said:

“We hope this season has something for everyone with its rich alchemy of musical experiences designed to surprise and delight.  We’ve got stunning music, world premieres, new innovations and collaborations with artists as diverse as Thomas Adès (who we welcome as Artist-in-Residence), Nitin Sawhney, Jess Gillam and Steve Reich. The season is particularly momentous in that it is the final season of our inspirational Music Director Sir Mark Elder, who stands down after twenty-four transformative years.