'Classics at the Cathedral' with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
City choirs Peterborough Male Voice Choir and Peterborough Voices welcomed the one-and-only Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to Peterborough on Saturday 21st September for their sold-out 'Classics at the Cathedral' event, showcasing a breathtaking programme of British classics against the stunning backdrop of Peterborough Cathedral.
Conducted by William Prideaux, the event also featured spectacular performances from celebrated mezzo-soprano Karen England of popular classical crossover duo The OperaBabes – singing Holst’s Hecuba’s Lament – and baritone James Quilligan, performing Vaughan Williams’ Willow-Wood and Stanford’s Songs of the Sea.
With its broad repertoire and popular appeal, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is the UK’s most in-demand orchestra, attracting a worldwide live and online audience of more than 60 million people. Its mission is to make live music as accessible as possible, enriching lives through musical experiences and creating a space for live music at the heart of modern society... goals firmly aligned with those of the choirs, with their extensive programme of outreach work across the city, from pop-up choirs to school singing days.
Given their shared vision, it’s no surprise that the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the city choirs are old friends: they partnered in 2015 to premiere a specially-commissioned piece of music by celebrated composer Errollyn Wallen MBE at St John’s Smith Square, London, and subsequently at Peterborough’s Broadway Theatre as part of sell-out event Spectacular Classics; and their last Classics at the Cathedral collaboration in 2022 was another sell-out… resounding proof that there is a huge appetite for culture in Peterborough!
The choirs return to Peterborough Cathedral on Saturday 14th December with their popular Christmas Magic event – with performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets now on sale at Earlybird prices (until October 13th) at https://www.peterboroughsings.org.uk/tickets