The Stage

BBC Concert Orchestra strikes deal to conduct business at Chichester

Published Tuesday 30 March 2004 at 11:00 by Sally Bramley

Chichester Festival Theatre has signed a three-year partnership deal with the BBC Concert Orchestra to host an autumn season of performances and education work.

It is the first long-term relationship the orchestra has had with a venue outside the capital since it left the Golders Green Hippodrome last year. It does hold regular concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and the BBC’s studios at Maidavale.

This year the orchestra will perform five concerts from October to February as well as take part in a live broadcast of BBC Radio 2 show Friday Night Is Music Night on October 22.

Andrew Connolly, general manager of the BBCCO, said: “We could not find a better team to go and work with. We are very unlimited with what we programme. It is really very exciting.”

CFT artistic director Ruth Mackenzie said the BBCCO’s commitment to performing a wide variety of music, including classical, jazz and world music, reflected and complemented the theatre’s summer programme.

She added: “It is thrilling for me to get this partnership which offers community education workshops for schools as well as fantastic concerts across a whole range of musics.

“During our summer festival we are producing Cole Porter’s Out of This World as well as a new musical, Just So, from the team responsible for Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins. The BBC Concert Orchestra has the same values as we do, they are wonderful, accessible and excellent. We are very much looking forward to having them in residence for the autumn.”