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Mark Padmore opens the new Wigmore Hall season |
Tenor for a tenner!
PREVIEW: AUTUMN SEASON
WIGMORE HALL
THE Wigmore Hall is going all out to build on its success of attracting new audiences, up as much as 300 per cent in recent years.
It’s got a special “10 for 10” series this autumn involving 10 evening concerts for just £10 each for any seat in the hall. That’s a lot less than top seat prices of up to £35 or more for many concerts.
Furthermore, the “10 for 10” concerts are being given by top-drawer musicians.
Colin Carr, one of the country’s leading international cellists, will be playing Mendelssohn, Brahms and Schumann sonatas and other pieces at the first concert on Sunday, September 13.
Mezzo-soprano Patricia Bardon, tenor John Mark Ainsley, pianist Jonathan Biss, violinist Carolin Widmann and the Vienna Piano Trio are among musicians performing at subsequent “10 for 10” concerts.
“We’ve had a tremendous increase in ticket sales in recent years, up as much as 30 per cent to 190,000 in our most recent season,” says Wigmore Hall director John Gilhooly.
“That’s partly because we’re able to put on more concerts since buying-in the lease of the hall.
“Also, we’re selling more tickets for each concert, up from 80 to 85 per cent on average.
“We’ve got a strong core audience, particularly for our chamber music.
“But we’re also managing to attract younger audiences keen on early music and song recitals, especially by countertenors.”
Special residencies and debut recitals are prominent among the 330 concerts in the up-coming season, which will be opened on September 12 by tenor Mark Padmore, accompanied by pianist Paul Lewis.
The concert will be first of several by the duo as part of year-long residency by Padmore who will also be helping with Wigmore Hall’s education and outreach activities.
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