THE story of the symphony will be told in Sheffield's International Concert Season as orchestras follow the plot of the greatest composers.
Works by Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart – the three great classical symphonists – feature in the series which marks their influence on the development of the symphony.
The season then looks to the later romantic and 20th century composers of Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Shostakovich and Liszt.
Paying particular attention to Joseph Haydn, dubbed the Father of the Symphony, the season acknowledges the 200th anniversary of his death in 1809. The 200th birthday of Mendelssohn is marked with several works, including his great Oratorio 'Elijah'.
It all starts on September 27 with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. The Hallé, as resident orchestra at Sheffield City Hall, form the backbone of the series with seven concerts.
The season also celebrates the city's home grown talent with Sheffield's Harlequin Brass joining the series for a programme alongside the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, who perform in five concerts.
Keeping the international flavour, the City Hall welcomes the Moscow Philharmonic and Berlin Symphony, plus conductors and soloists from across the globe.
This includes some debut performances for Sheffield audiences including the inspirational Dutch cellist Pieter Wispelwey and Maris Janson's protogé Arild Remmereit.
There are also eagerly anticipated returns from Gianandrea Noseda, Freddy Kempf and Howard Shelley during the season, alongside Sheffield favourites John Lill and Hallé Principal Conductor Mark Elder.
All single tickets to the concert season are £15 with the exception of the Christmas concert. For regular concert goers there's three different priced subscription packages available.
- Welsh operatic star Katherine Jenkins will be launching her Winter 2008 UK Tour from the City Hall on December 1.
The award-winning Welsh mezzo-soprano, who starred with Darcey Bussell in the sell-out show Viva La Diva, will take to the Irwin Mitchell Oval Hall Stage before embarking on a 14-date tour, ending at Cardiff Arena on December 22.
Katherine's first album, Premiere, made her the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano to date and she later became the first British classical artist to have two number one albums in the same year. She also stands as the first female artist to win two consecutive Classical BRIT Awards.
The tour is set to coincide with the release of her sixth album, a collection of sacred arias, in November.
Katherine said she was excited at the prospect of the tour and added: "Although I've loved being in Viva La Diva, it's meant that I haven't actually done a concert tour for two years.
"I am so excited to be going back out on the road with an orchestra and to be premiering some songs from the new album."
Special guests will be four piece Blake, who won the NS&I Album Of The Year Award at this year's Classical Brits. Tickets are £25 - £45.
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