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Katherine Baker and Lucy Wakeford delighted in Mozart, Debussy and Fauré with the Northern Chamber Orchestra in a concert crowned by an undeservedly rare symphony by Haydn. 

Forward-looking programme celebrates contemporary repertoire, with two world premières in a concert of works written within the last 35 years.

The centenary of Britten’s birth has seen a surge in performances of his music both in the concert hall and on the stages of many a noted opera house. Sensationalised biographies, radio and television programmes, and a number of Britten-centred festivals have helped to pique further interest in a composer whose music tends to attract a love-hate relationship with its listeners.

Celebrating Britten’s centenary, tonight’s performance of his five canticles seemed particularly fitting. Written throughout his composing career, they are a testament to the composer’s affinity for poetry and skill at writing with particular performers in mind, and they provide an intimate commentary on Britten’s large-scale works.