Performances across the North West including Mama Mia, The Importance of Being Earnest, Columbo — Prescription: Murder, RNCM Symphony Orchestra, Concerts in the Forest and Rossini’s La Cenerentola
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24:7 Theatre Festival

26 Jul 2010 - 01 Aug 2010

As the city where the UK’s first rep theatre was established in 1908, Manchester has always had a passion for all things dramatic. This celebration of new writing features trail-blazing, original performances taking place in a variety of unusual venues. See the hot new names in writing and acting here first.

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Mamma Mia

03 - 20 Jun 2010 / Echo Arena, Liverpool

Go on, be a Dancing Queen for the night, as the all-conquering musical juggernaut of Abba’s hits makes it to Merseyside.

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The Importance of Being Earnest

05 Jun 2010 - 03 Jul 2010 / Library Theatre, Manchester

After 58 years Manchester’s Library Theatre Company is leaving its current home for a three-year touring stint while it gets a new refurbished home at Manchester’s old Theatre Royale, the city’s oldest surviving theatre building. It’s finishing its run at The Library with the Oscar Wilde classic that was the very first show it presented there. Bring your own handbag.

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Columbo — Prescription: Murder

07 - 12 Jun 2010 / The Lowry, Salford Quays

Dirk Benedict, of The A-Team and original Battlestar Galactica fame, dons the dodgy brown raincoat to play the cult TV detective in this stage adaptation of the grimy gumshoe’s first case.

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Liverpool Summer Pops

01 - 31 Jul 2010 / Echo Arena, Kings Dock, Liverpool

Returning for its 10th year with a starry line-up including Rod Stewart, Crosby, Stills And Nash, Jools Holland and Joan Armatrading.

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RNCM Symphony Orchestra

01 Jul 2010 / The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

The talented young musos from Manchester’s renowned conservatoire tackle an orchestral programme that includes a new piece written by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.

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Concerts in the Forest

02 - 03 Jul 2010 / Delamere Forest, Northwich, Cheshire

Music wafts through the treetops in this series of atmospheric outdoor concerts, this year featuring Simply Red and James Morrison.

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Theatre in the Park

15 Jul 2010 - 08 Aug 2010 / Grosvenor Park, Chester

If it works in Regent’s Park in London then why not in Chester? Bring a picnic and a blanket to enjoy this three-week run of summer evening performances of Shakespeare’s tale of romance and heroics, Much Ado About Nothing.

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Cholmondeley Firework concert

17 Jul 2010 / Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas, Cheshire

Another stately Cheshire pile, this one echoing to the sounds of champagne corks and fireworks as the Manchester Camerata perform a Last Night of the Proms programme complete with real cannons in the 1812. A truly idyllic setting for an outdoor concert so get that hamper packed.

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Rossini’s La Cenerentola

24 - 30 Jul 2010 / Clonter OperaTheatre, Congleton, Cheshire

Cheshire’s equivalent of Glyndebourne is the perfect way to spend a summer’s evening, with this year’s featured opera being Rossini’s unique take on the Cinderella story. The indoor opera theatre is set in beautiful wooded grounds where you can enjoy a picnic before the evening performance.

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Hallé Fireworks & Light Spectacular

31 Jul 2010 / Tatton Park, Cheshire

One of the biggest and best of the ‘summer concert in a stately home’ vernacular, featuring the on-form Hallé Orchestra in gorgeous surroundings with plenty of big bangs to spice up the Wagnerian finale. Pack a picnic.

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50 Years Of Coronation Street Abridged — Live!

12 - 21 Aug 2010 / The Lowry, Salford Quays

To mark the 50th anniversary of Britain’s longest-running soap, Corrie’s own script writers have come up with this riotous romp through the history of the nation’s favourite street, covering more than 2,000 storylines, including 115 deaths, 37 births and 86 marriages in two hours of mind-boggling stage craft.

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Lesley Garrett & Manchester Camerata

21 Aug 2010 / Lytham Green, Lytham St Annes

For one night only, the seafront of this quaint coastal town transforms into a concert arena as the UK’s favourite opera diva fronts a music and fireworks extravaganza to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

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Creamfields

27 - 28 Aug 2010 / Daresbury, Halton, Cheshire

It wouldn’t be August Bank Holiday without Creamfields, the UK’s biggest dance festival. Big it up for this year’s line-up which includes Leftfield, Calvin Harris, Audio Bullys and Armin van Buuren.

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Antony and Cleopatra

08 Oct 2010 - 13 Nov 2010 / Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool

Watch out chaps – Samantha’s in town! Kim Cattrall returns to the city of her birth to play the simmering Shakespearean sexpot. Jeffrey Kisson is the actor man enough to take her on as Anthony with the directing honours being taken by Janet Suzman, herself one of the legendary stage Cleopatras of yesteryear.

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The Planets in High Definition

12 Oct 2010 / Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Holst’s evocative Planets Suite gets a stellar makeover as the Houston Symphony Orchestra perform the symphonic version as a live accompaniment to a HD footage of images from NASA missions such as the Mars Rover, Voyagers 1&2, Mariner 10, Magellan and Galileo. Literally out of this world.

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Sir Mark Elder and the Halle

14 Oct 2010 /

English classical music is a fundamental part of the Halle’s DNA, so the orchestra should be playing at the peak of its powers as two of England’s greatest composers are elebrated in this programme featuring Elgar’s Violin Concerto and Vaughan Williams’ London Symphony.

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Invitation to the Ballet

24 Oct 2010 - 31 Mar 2011 / The Lowry, Salford

The phenomenal archive of the Royal Ballet gets a rare airing in this major exhibition telling the story of the company’s origins, starting from when Dame Ninette de Valois first brought ballet to Britain, right up to the present day world of ballet superstars such as Carlos Acosta. Archive photos, film footage and a superb selection of costumes from epic performances such as Dame Margot Fonteyn’s Firebird make this a real treat for dance fans.

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Pride and Prejudice

04 - 05 Sep 2010 / Tatton Park, Cheshire

Outdoor theatre company Illyria bring you Jane Austen at her vibrant and witty best in the glorious setting of Tatton Park.

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BBC Proms in the Park

11 - 12 Sep 2010 / Buile Hill Park, Salford

The award-winning BBC Philharmonic brings the outdoor Proms season to an end with a Last Night of flags and fireworks in the lovely setting of Salford’s Buile Hill Park. Star of the show is the queen of the showtune himself, Mr John Barrowman.

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Libor Pešek conducts Dvořák’s New World Symphony

15 - 16 Sep 2010 / Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool

Everyone loves Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony (Hovis ad included), but expect it to be played with even more verve and passion than usual as the legendary Czech conductor Libor Pešek returns to his old orchestra, the Liverpool Phil, to bring his uniquely Czech flair to this great Czech symphony.

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Antony & Cleopatra

08 Oct 2010 - 13 Nov 2010 / Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool

Watch out chaps – Samantha’s in town! Kim Cattrall returns to the city of her birth to play the simmering Shakespearean siren. Jeffrey Kissoon is the actor man enough to take her on as Antony with the directing honours being taken by Janet Suzman, herself one of the legendary stage Cleopatras of yesteryear.

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John Lennon Song Book 70th Birthday

09 Oct 2010 / Liverpool Philharmonic, Liverpool

Kicking off Liverpool’s two-month Lennonathon is this evening of his classic songs performed by the city’s on-form symphony orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

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The Planets in High Definition

12 Oct 2010 / Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Holst’s evocative Planets Suite gets a stellar makeover as the Houston Symphony Orchestra perform the symphonic version as a live accompaniment to HD footage of images from NASA missions such as the Mars Rover, Voyagers 1&2, Mariner 10, Magellan and Galileo. Literally out of this world.

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Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé

14 Oct 2010 / The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

English classical music is a fundamental part of the Hallé’s DNA, so the orchestra should be playing at the peak of its powers as two of England’s greatest composers are celebrated in this programme featuring Elgar’s Violin Concerto and Vaughan Williams’ London Symphony.

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Die Fledermaus

26 Oct 2010 / Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire

This distinctive Jacobean-style house set in over 100 acres of parkland is the venue for a performance of Johann Strauss II’s operetta by touring company Heritage Opera, renowned for its operatic performances in statelies across the Northwest.

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Lennon Remembered

09 Dec 2010 / Echo Arena, Liverpool

The culmination of Liverpool’s Lennon celebrations, expect an emotional outpouring at this charity tribute concert featuring yet-to-be-named ‘musical stars from all eras’.

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