Halle at Giggleswick

The rain and I do mean serious wet stuff, poured from the sky all day and we suspected cancellation of the Halle at Giggleswick School would have been cancelled. it was not and we were so pleased! It was not an excellent event it was a memorable stupendous event to mark the school's 500 anniversary! The concert  featured soprano Sarah Fox, tenor Barry Banks and baritone Sir Thomas Allen.The event, was rounded off with a spectacular fireworks display, celebrates 500 years of education in this dramatic Yorkshire setting and the concert performed on playing fields next to the site of the first school, founded in 1512. The programme of light classical, musical theatre and operatic favourites, had been compiled by the concert’s Musical Director, James Burton and included works by Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Puccini, Handel and Bernstein, building to the rousing 1812 Overture complete with spectacular fireworks finale.The Hallé is the 4th oldest symphony orchestra in the world and Britain’s oldest.They and the soloists were joined onstage by a youth choir from Giggleswick Junior School and by the Giggleswick Choral Society. Sir Tim Rice introduced the evening, paying tribute to his "Countdown" friend Richard Whiteley OBE who died in June 2005 but who lives on at the local theatre based at the school. An invigorating and memorable evening!