Our Heritage

On 30 January 1858, Charles Hallé conducts the first of his ‘Grand Orchestral Concerts’ with his own orchestra in Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. In April the Hallé Choir makes its concert debut in a performance of Haydn’s Creation. The Orchestra remained Charles Hallé’s personal concern until his death in October 1895.

The Hallé Concerts Society is formed to ensure the continuation of the Orchestra; Dr Hans Richter conducts his first concert as Principal Conductor in October. During his tenure the orchestra developed a close relationship with the composer Edward Elgar, including giving the world premier of his first symphony in 1908.

Michael Balling is announced as Richter’s successor. His time in Manchester was cut short by the First World War. After a period when Sir Thomas Beecham acted as Musical Advisor, Sir Hamilton Harty emerged as his successor.

Sir Hamilton Harty is appointed as Principal Conductor. Harty embraced the new technology of recording, signing a contract with Columbia that saw the Hallé make its first commercial recordings. He was less progressive in other ways, famously dismissing the small number of women who had joined the ranks during the war. Harty left in 1933 and Sir Thomas Beecham again stepped in to advise, but did not wish to take on the role of Principal Conductor permanently.

John Barbirolli (knighted in 1949) is appointed Principal Conductor as the Hallé puts the orchestra on a 52 week contract for the first time. Sir John’s arrival from New York to find only 39 players and the first concert planned for just 6 weeks later is the stuff of legend! Sir John was to remain at the helm until his death in 1970. He took the orchestra on their first foreign tours, greatly extended the recorded repertoire and women finally joined the permanent players.

The rebuilt Free Trade Hall reopens. The Free Trade Hall had been destroyed in December 1940 during the Blitz. The new concert hall on the same site retained the old façade but was otherwise entirely new. It remained the home of the Hallé until 1996.

Following the death of Sir John Barbirolli, James Loughran is appointed Principal Conductor. During his years in post the Hallé toured to the Far East for the first time with several appearances at the Hong Kong Arts Festival.

Stanislaw Skrowaczewski is appointed Principal Conductor. In 1987 the Hallé toured to the United States for the first time. Following his departure in 1991 Stanislaw made many return visits to conduct, most famously travelling all the way from Warsaw by car in 2010 when planes were grounded by the Icelandic ash cloud.

Kent Nagano is appointed as Principal Conductor and Music Director. In September 1996 he conducted the first concert by the Hallé in its new home, The Bridgewater Hall. In January 1997 Lyn Fletcher was appointed Leader, the first woman to hold the position.

Mark Elder is appointed as Principal Conductor and Music Director. The Hallé ‘family’ expands with the formation of the Youth Orchestra in 2002, the Youth Choir in 2003, and the Children’s Choir in 2008. A new era of recordings also begins with the launch of the Hallé’s own label in 2003.

Hallé St Peter’s opens, a new rehearsal space for the Orchestra and our ensembles, the first time in the Hallé’s long history that it has owned a building. In 2018 work started on an extension, the Oglesby Centre, which opened in November 2019.

The year starts with the inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conducting Competition in February, won by Delyana Lazarova from Bulgaria. A month later concerts are cancelled (for the first time in Hallé history) as the country enters lockdown. It is not until November that the Hallé are able to bring the players back to rehearse – under socially distanced conditions – for a digital concert series.

In June 2021, the Hallé is able to give its first live performances in 14 months back at The Bridgewater Hall, with socially distanced audiences. The 2021-22 season takes place, with January 2022 seeing the first concert with full forces of Orchestra, Choir and a sold-out auditorium since the pandemic.

The second Siemens Hallé International Conducting Competition takes place, won by Euan Shields from USA. The Oglesby Centre is officially opened by HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO.