The Hallé: Vive La France!

From great romance to revolutionary fervour, France doesn’t do things by halves. Passion and flair pulse through every corner of French cultural life, whether in the cool sophistication of its cinema, the rich flavours of its cuisine or the vibrant sounds of its music.

This concert takes us on a fantastique tour of French musical highlights, taking in spectacular orchestral favourites, grand opera, popular song and evocative film scores. Conductor Stephen Bell is joined by leading British soprano, Rebecca Bottone, who’ll be performing classical favourites from Gounod, Canteloube and Offenbach and the thrilling Catalani aria that’s central to the plot of the cult ‘Cinema du Look’ movie, Diva, by Jean-Jacques Beineix. The power behind the passion comes from the Hallé, whose 80 musicians will be treating us to orchestral favourites including Dukas’s magical tale, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Ravel’s whirling vision of decadence, La Valse. Completing the line-up is a trio of transatlantic cinematic gems from Michael Giacchino, Rachel Portman and Georges Delerue.

Programme:
De Lisle La Marseillaise
Berlioz Overture: Le Corsaire
Fauré Pavane
Gounod Je Veux Vivre
Giacchino Suite from Ratatouille
Piaf La Vie En Rose
Catalani La Wally: Ebben? Ne andrò lontana (from the movie Diva)
Bizet The Toreador Song from Carmen Suite
Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Saint-Saëns Bacchanale from Samson & Delilah
Debussy Clair de Lune
Rachel Portman Chocolat
Offenbach Doll Song from The Tales of Hoffmann
Delerue The Last Metro
Canteloube Baïlèro from Songs of the Auvergne
Ravel La Valse
Offenbach Can Can