Welcome

Welcome to our Autumn season, one we hope will proceed without interruption. Artists and audiences are eager to be back live and there is much to look forward to. Since Saffron Hall opened in 2013, it has been our desire to present a high-quality, diverse programme. It has taken some time to build all of the elements we wanted to include, but I believe and hope that there will be something for everyone in the 2022/23 season.

Our classical music programme goes from strength to strength, with stirring and thoughtprovoking interpretations of much-loved works alongside lesser-known and new music.

Highlights for me this Autumn include the return of the Hallé and Mark Elder – surely one of the great artistic partnerships of our time; the debut of the award-winning Dunedin Consort; and Sir Michael Tippett’s epic choral work A Child of Our Time, which will be magnificent in the hands of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and their Principal Conductor Edward Gardner. We are proud to include Saffron Opera Group, Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra and Saffron Walden Choral Society in our programme. Their contribution to quality music in this community is unparalleled.

We welcome back many artists that have established deep relationships with this community through outstanding performances and engagement with our extensive schools and community programmes, such as Courtney Pine and Jess Gillam. Our talks programme covers a broad spectrum of subjects and this Autumn is no different. I am looking forward to hearing Jay Rayner talk about his Last Supper!

As always, I would urge audience members to try something different. Book the concerts you know you will love and then book one more. At Saffron Hall, the quality is guaranteed. We look forward to welcoming you to the Hall this Autumn.

Angela Dixon Chief Executive

Sun 11 Sep, 2.30pm

Saffron Opera Group

Tannhäuser

Saffron Opera Group Orchestra & Chorus

Michael Thorne conductor

Peter Auty Tannhäuser

Samantha Crawford Elizabeth

Elaine McKrill Venus

Richard Burkhard Wolfram

Paul Carey Jones Biterolf

Andrew Greenan Landgraf

Brian Smith Walters Walther

Ben Thapa Heinrich

Simon Grange Reinmar

Joshua Davidson Shepherd Boy

Richard Wagner Tannhäuser

After a string of triumphs, Saffron Opera Group presents Wagner’s battle between sacred and profane love. Acclaimed tenor

Peter Auty joins Saffron Hall favourites Elaine McKrill and Richard Burkhard, with rising star

Samantha Crawford. Michael Thorne conducts the superb SOG orchestra and chorus.

Sun 25 Sep, 3pm

Once Upon a Tune Spooky Stories

James Mayhew & Antonio

Reche-Martinez narration & illustration

Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra

Richard Hull conductor

Programme to include Paul Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Camille Saint-Saens Danse Macabre

Jean Sibelius The Swan of Tuonela

Richard Wagner Overture to The Flying Dutchman

Sorcerers, skeletons, and ghostly ships, wicked witches and spectral swans have inspired some of the spookiest musical treats. James tells the stories and then he and Antonio paint, capturing the spine-chilling scenes, while the Orchestra plays. Their paintings will be raffled, and all profits go to RefugEase, a charity supporting refugee families around the world.

Tickets £20 - £50

Presented by Saffron Opera Group

Tickets £15

Under 16s £6

Presented by Words in Walden

Fri 7 Oct, 7.30pm

Isata Kanneh-Mason

Supported by a Gold member & friends

Isata Kanneh-Mason piano

Programme to include

Fanny Mendelssohn Easter Sonata

Claude Debussy Children’s Corner L.113

Clara Schumann Scherzo No.2 in C minor Op.14

Frédéric Chopin Ballade No.2 in F major Op.38

Robert Schumann Kinderszenen Op.15

Star pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason gives her first Saffron Hall solo recital in a programme themed around childhood. She has previously appeared at Saffron Hall as part of a trio, saying that she “loved the acoustic and the piano” – a special connection sure to be deepened by this recital of music by Clara and Robert Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, Mozart, Debussy and Chopin.

Sat 8 Oct, 4pm

Hallé Orchestra

This concert is part of a series supported by the Padfield Family

Mark Elder conductor

Pavel Kolesnikov piano

Sergei Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor

Op.30

Bedrˇich Smetana Má vlast: Vltava

Jean Sibelius Symphony No.3 in C major Op.52

With a sensational line-up of artists and repertoire, this is a concert not to be missed. Pianist

Pavel Kolesnikov has been taking the world by storm with his exceptional performances, and will bring his “intensely personal interpretations, often daring in their originality” (Critics’ Circle) to Rachmaninov’s electrifying Piano Concerto No.3. Sir Mark Elder conducts the Hallé Orchestra in a programme that also includes Smetana’s evocative Má Vlast and Sibelius’ exhilarating Third Symphony.

Tickets £12 - £25

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £24 - £55

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Sat 15 Oct, 7.30pm Pasadena Roof Orchestra

Flapper dresses and spats at the ready: the Pasadena Roof Orchestra is all set to sweep us off our feet and back in time to the Roaring Twenties. This acclaimed ensemble was founded in 1969, since when it has achieved international success with its irresistible performances of swinging jazz music from the 1920s and 1930s, including hits from the Great American Songbook.

Sun 16 Oct, 7pm

Britten Sinfonia & Anoushka Shankar with Manu Delago

Anoushka Shankar sitar

Manu Delago handpan/drums

Jules Buckley conductor

Programme to include Roxanna Panufnik’s Indian Summer from Four World Seasons and a selection of works and arrangements from Manu Delago, Anoushka Shankar and Jules

Buckley

Boundary-crossing, multiGrammy-nominated sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar joins forces with Britten Sinfonia for a evening presenting ragas and the sitar in a new light. Alongside conductor and arranger Jules Buckley, Anoushka Shankar has produced new arrangements of her own pieces for Britten Sinfonia’s strings, who are joined by her regular collaborator, percussionist Manu Delago.

Tickets £16 - £30

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £19 - £42

Under 25s half price

Presented by Britten Sinfonia

Get ready for Saffron Sessions, a series of boundary-crossing performances brimming with creative artistry and bold collaborations. Coming soon.

Thu 20 Oct, 7.30pm

My Last Supper

One Meal a lifetime in the making with Jay Rayner

It’s your last meal on earth. What are you going to have?

It’s the question award-winning restaurant critic and MasterChef judge Jay Rayner has been asked most often by audiences across the UK. Finally, he’s set out to answer it.

In this barnstorming new show, Rayner examines our fascination with last meals and tells the stories behind the ingredients that would be on his menu: how he was introduced to oysters by his late mother, for example, or how he almost torched a hotel through his love for snails. He’ll also get the audience to design their own last meal.

Sat 22 Oct, 7.30pm

Ladysmith Black

Mambazo & Muntu Valdo

South African vocal powerhouse Ladysmith Black Mambazo play their first UK tour for many years.

Sun 23 Oct, 7pm

London

Philharmonic Orchestra

Supported by an anonymous donor

Karina Canellakis conductor

Johan Dalene violin

Tickets £12 - £25

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Since they shot to global stardom on Paul Simon’s Graceland album, Mambazo have been recognised as one of the world’s great vocal groups.

Mambazo sing powerful uplifting songs - Nelson Mandela called them “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors” - and tour to celebrate Black History Month.

Their special guest is Cameroonborn guitarist and singer Muntu Valdo - an electrifying presence who combines loops with the blues.

Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No.3 “Eroica”

Following her sensational concert last season, we welcome back the LPO and their Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis. Together they perform Beethoven’s extraordinary “Eroica” Symphony, a work celebrated for its famous theme and ambitious scale. They will be joined by Swedish violinist Johan Dalene for a rendition of Sibelius’ ravishing Violin Concerto.

Tickets £20 - £40

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £24 - £55

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Fri 28 Oct, 7pm

English Touring Opera Agrippina

Supported by a circle of high level members

Handel’s masterpiece of political intrigue is the most devilish of comedies, bringing the machinations of one of opera’s most notorious characters to life in a text penned by a Roman cardinal. Agrippina was an early success of Handel’s, and is presented in a revival of ETO’s 2013 production alongside

ETO’s period instrument partners

The Old Street Band, with stunning set and costume designs by Samal Blak, performed in a rapier-sharp English translation.

Sat 29 Oct, 7pm

English Touring Opera Tamerlano

Supported by a circle of high level members

A gripping psychological contest between Tamerlano, the Emperor of the Tartars, and his captive Bajazet, Sultan of the Turks, Tamerlano is the most perfect of Handel’s operas, and a true marriage of drama and music. It was written in a year of inspired creativity that also saw the composition of Giulio Cesare and Rodelinda, and features one of the first major tenor roles in opera.

English Touring Opera present Tamerlano in a new production from Artistic Director James Conway, performed with ETO’s period instrument partners The Old Street Band.

Tickets £12 - £45

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall in association with English Touring Opera

Tickets £12 - £45

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall in association with English Touring Opera

Sun 30 Oct, 4pm

Quatuor Agate Young Artist Coffee Concert

Supported by Christine Lewis in loving memory of Geoffrey Lewis

Luigi Boccherini String Quartet in G minor Op.32 No.5

Johannes Brahms String Quartet No.3 in B flat Op.67

Quatuor Agate brings together four passionate young musicians who regularly dazzle audiences with their fresh and energetic performances. Enjoy quartet music of animated dialogue and gentle intimacy in a programme that takes us from the classical elegance of Boccherini to the brooding romance of Brahms.

Please join us after the concert for a complimentary coffee, tea or squash.

Sun 6 Nov, 4pm

A4 Brass Young Artist Coffee Concert

The A4 Brass Quartet returns to Saffron Hall for its first public performance at the hall following a hugely successful members’ event. Comprising principal players from some of the UK’s top brass bands, playing together in a unique configuration, the A4 Brass Quartet is at the forefront of British brass chamber music and combines traditional brass instruments with contemporary elements never heard before in this medium.

Please join us after the concert for a complimentary coffee, tea or squash.

Tickets £12

Under 25s free

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £12

Under 25s free

Presented by Saffron Hall

Together in Sound

Sat 12 Nov, 7.30pm

Saffron Walden

Choral Society Haydn: The Creation

Chameleon Arts Orchestra

Quintin Beer conductor

Rebecca Bottone soprano

Bradley Smith tenor

Morgan Pearse baritone

Joseph Haydn The Creation

Haydn set texts from Genesis, Psalms and Milton’s Paradise Lost.

In Parts 1 and 2, the soloists are archangels, with the chorus as the heavenly host celebrating the “new created world”. In Part 3, Adam and Eve are happily in love in the Garden of Eden. The work finishes with another triumphant chorus “The praise of the Lord will endure forever”.

Sat 19 Nov, 7.30pm

Dunedin Consort

Mozart Mass in C Minor

Supported by Charles Rawlinson MBE

Dunedin Consort

Anna Dennis soprano

Lucy Crowe soprano

Benjamin Hulett tenor

Robert Davies bass

Joseph Haydn Symphony No.80 in D minor

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Great Mass in C minor

Celebrating its 25th anniversary season this year, Dunedin Consort is Scotland’s foremost Baroque ensemble, recognised the world over for its vivid yet nuanced performances. Dunedin Consort’s inquisitive approach to historical performance allows listeners to hear familiar repertoire afresh, and for this concert the group will bring its insightful approach to Mozart’s magnificent Mass in C minor.

Tickets £20 - £35

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Walden

Choral Society

Tickets £20 - £45

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Fri 25 Nov, 7.30pm

Courtney Pine Spirituality Tour

Courtney Pine bass clarinet

Zoe Rahman piano with guest string quartet

Whenever Courtney Pine plays at Saffron Hall, audiences go wild. The legendary jazz hero takes to the stage with his bass clarinet accompanied by Zoe Rahman, the Mercury nominated and MOBO award-winning pianist in this second chapter to their Ballad Book Tour.

Sun 27 Nov, 3pm

London Philharmonic Orchestra A Child of Our Time

This concert is part of a series supported by the Padfield Family

Edward Gardner conductor

Nadine Benjamin soprano

Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano

Kenneth Tarver tenor

Roderick Williams baritone

London Philharmonic Choir

London Adventist Chorale

Royal College of Music Soloists

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Serenade to Music

Michael Tippett A Child of Our Time

This monumental secular oratorio A Child of Our Time is a rare treat not to be missed. Tippett’s arrangements of African American spirituals are at the heart of this powerful work, composed during WWII but ending in a spirit of healing and hope.

Tickets £14 - £32

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £24 - £55

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Sat 3 Dec, 7.30pm

Cory Band

The mighty Cory Band - nine times National Champions and seven times European Champions - bring their spinetingling, blockbuster brass sound from the Welsh Valleys to Saffron Hall for the first time. With a wide-ranging programme, there will be something for everyone from the band that has performed at the Last Night of the Proms and the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.

Sun 4 Dec, 3pm

Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra

Richard Hull conductor Alex Redington violin

Ralph Vaughan Williams In the Fen Country

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Violin Concerto

Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No.12

The Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra are delighted to welcome back Alex Redington for a performance of Korngold’s beautiful concerto, written in 1945, which uses themes from his film scores. They open with Vaughan Williams’ pastoral tone picture as part of the RVW150 celebrations and conclude with Shostakovich’s brilliant and energetic 12th Symphony.

Tickets £16 - £35

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £17 - £20

Under 18s £5, 18-25s £10

Presented by Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra

Sat 10 Dec, 7.30pm

Tenebrae at Christmas

Supported by David & Jane Richardson

Nigel Short conductor

Programme to include

Benjamin Britten A Ceremony of Carols

Gustav Holst In the bleak midwinter

Joanna Marsh In Winter’s House

Herbert Howells A Spotless Rose

Described as “phenomenal”

(The Times) and “devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone magazine), the award-winning choir Tenebrae, directed by Nigel Short, is one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles, renowned for its passion and precision. Tenebrae’s festive concert at Saffron Hall will set the scene for Christmas in an uplifting and inspiring programme to include seasonal favourites such as Britten’s glorious Ceremony of Carols.

Tickets £20 - £45

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Sun 11 Dec, 4pm

Glenn Miller Orchestra In The Mood for Christmas

Ray McVay musical director

The Glenn Miller Orchestra offers audiences of all ages the chance to discover – or revisit –the big band era of the 1940s. Using the same formation as the original ensemble, the Glenn Miller Orchestra captures the mellow, velvety sonority and lively dance rhythms of one of the most famous big bands in the world, combining new numbers arranged to match that vintage sound with famous pieces such as the Moonlight Serenade.

Fri 16 Dec, 7.30pm

Jess Gillam

Ensemble at Christmas

Saffron Hall regular Jess Gillam makes a welcome return after a phenomenal year during which she received her MBE at Windsor Castle. The young saxophonist is joined by her regular ensemble to perform a lively programme including Christmas classics such as a Nutcracker medley, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s (Happy Xmas)

War is Over, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and, looking ahead to the New Year, Auld Lang Syne.

Tickets £16 - £35

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £10 - £35

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Harry Christophers

© Marco Borggreve

Sun 18 Dec, 4.30pm

The Sixteen Handel’s Messiah

Supported by Charles Rawlinson MBE

The Sixteen Choir & Orchestra

Harry Christophers conductor

George Frideric Handel Messiah

The Sixteen and their director Harry Christophers return to Saffron Hall with a work that has become a staple of the Christmas calendar: Handel’s Messiah.

In music at once joyous and profound, Handel’s Messiah has come to represent the celebration of the Christmas story in the wider context of Christ’s life and death, from solo arias performed by exceptional soloists, to the majesty of the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus.

Mon 2 Jan, 4pm A

New Year’s Celebration

BBC Concert Orchestra

Emma Johnson clarinet

Programme to include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Clarinet Concerto in A major K.622

Join us for this spectacular New Year’s celebration featuring all the glitz and glamour of a Vienna ballroom alongside Mozart’s beloved Clarinet Concerto, performed by internationally acclaimed clarinettist Emma Johnson.

Tickets £20 - £55

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £18 - £50

Under 25s half price

Presented by Saffron Hall

Robin Hood

Lead sponsor: Saffron Building Society

Show Partners: Amherst Homes, M Riccio Hair

Hit the bullseye this Christmas as pantomime returns to Saffron Hall with Robin Hood - the Greatest Pantomime Adventure. Join the arrow-shooting heroic outlaw, Robin Hood as he tries to win the heart of the beautiful Maid Marion while he and his band of Merry Folk try to save the local townsfolk and defeat the wicked Sheriff of Rottingham. This fabulous production of the greatest pantomime adventure, Robin Hood is brought to you by the team behind last year’s production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Robin Hood is sure to be a festive treat and will be filled to the brim with audience participation, hilarious comedy, dazzling dance routines and spectacular sets and costumes which are sure to hit the target!

Tickets from £15

Presented by KD Theatre Productions & Saffron Hall