Classical and Jazz: Preview - Christmas Festival at the Barbican
Published: 16 December, 2010
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
WHATEVER the high-brows may think of music impresario Raymond Gubbay, there’s certainly an audience for his dance and opera spectaculars and for his packaging of musical allsorts.
His annual Christmas Festival at the Barbican opens this weekend. This time, it has a record number of 14 different concerts spread over three weeks, ranging from traditional carols and Broadway musicals through to baroque favourites and an all-Beethoven concert.
The Gubbay-fest serves up Christmas fare in the run up the 25th moving on to easy-listening/easy-viewing concerts afterwards and into the new year.
The festival opens on Saturday with Christmas Swingtime, a parade of showbiz hits sung by Jacqueline Dankworth and Graham Bickley accompanied by dancers and the London Concert Orchestra.
On Sunday afternoon, Angela Rippon presents a Christmas Gala comprising seasonal classics by Bach, Lloyd Webber, Puccini and Tchaikovsky, along with a carols-for-all sing-along.
Monday evening, there’s a candle-lit concert of 18th-century music played by the English Chamber Orchestra and another carols-for-all sing-along.
Wednesday evening, it’s the turn of young global superstar Hayley Westenra, still only 23, singing her own selection of songs and carols with her own band, a string quartet and a children’s choir.
She’s an unusual commodity in the mass music market as she has perfect pitch and sings in tune.
Thursday evening offers a concert of seasonal and traditional classics and carols involving the Bach Choir and Finchley Children’s Music Group.
Post-Christmas, the choice widens out to embrace 18th-century classics performed in period costumes and lit by candles; Broadway and West End musicals; a Beethoven double-bill, the 9th symphony and Emperor piano concerto; an all-Gershwin song-and-dance programme; Johann Strauss Gala; and a Viennese New Year’s Eve Gala.