Hallé Orchestra - Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.3

The Hallé are at The Bridgewater Hall on Thursday 15 April 2027, with Emilia Hoving conducting and Lukas Sternath on piano. The night is built around Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, the work that marks the moment the composer came into his own, and Sternath takes it on fresh from winning the Terence Judd-Hallé Award.

That concerto sits in the middle of a three-piece programme. The evening opens with Respighi's Fountains of Rome, a tone poem in four movements that depict Roman fountains at different times of day, starting at the Fountain of Valle Giulia. It's a vivid, atmospheric piece to set the mood before the Beethoven takes over. The concerto itself runs for about 34 minutes, and the night closes with Sibelius's Symphony No. 6, which the composer described as 'pure cold water'—a lean, clear symphony that leaves a very different impression from the Respighi at the start.

Between the three, you've got about 77 minutes of music: Respighi's Fountains at 15, the Beethoven at 34, and the Sibelius at 28. It's a broad spread, from the lush Roman imagery of the opener to the stripped-back, focused sound of the Sibelius, with the Beethoven concerto holding the centre.

The concert is part of the Hallé's Classical season 26/27 and is sponsored by PZ Cussons. It starts at 7.30pm, with tickets from £18.50 to £52.00, all prices including a £3.25 booking fee, and concessions and discounts available.