Celebrate Christmas at Sage Gateshead
Seasonal favourites, festive nights out and family fun for audiences, artists and the North.
Royal Northern Sinfonia Christmas by Candlelight tour of the North East returns
Sage Gateshead announces 1,000 tickets at £5 and £2.50 for people in the North East who want to come to Sage Gateshead for the first time this Christmas.
From evenings packed with Broadway classics to The Messiah and favourites like Kate Rusby, and The Snowman and Home Alone film screenings with Royal Northern Sinfonia, Sage Gateshead has a huge range of warming winter treats and nights out to make Christmas extra special this year.
To kick off the celebrations, Gareth Malone together with his band and a group of stellar singers brings his ‘Sing-along-a-Gareth’ concert to Sage One featuring tunes he’s performed over the last 15 years on television, and award-winning folk trio Granny’s Attic bring verve, energy and their own inimitable style to Sage Two (Thursday 1 December).
Polish duo Hania Rani and Dobrawa Czocher, the youngest female composer duo signed to Deutsche Grammophon, present their new album, Inner Symphonies on Friday 2 December. Manchester’s symphony orchestra The Hallé also open the Christmas season with the glowing melodies of Tchaikovsky’s greatest ballet score, The Sleeping Beauty, on Friday 2 December.
Hailed as ‘The Start of Christmas’ for many, Kate Rusby brings her humour and storytelling to Sage One on Thursday 15 December.
Multi award-winning folk musician Eliza Carthy MBE celebrated her 30th career anniversary earlier this year with the release of ‘Queen Of The Whirl’ which she brings to Sage Gateshead with her band The Restitution on Saturday 3 December.
Also joining the Christmas line up are Black Dyke Band performing well-known classics and festive favourites (Sunday 4 December), and Sage Gateshead regular and popular performers Martin Stephenson & The Daintees (Friday 9 December).
Sage Gateshead’s Artist in Residence Martha Hill will showcase some of the work she produced during her residency. Audiences can experience a collection of musical theatre songs inspired by Dracula, on Wednesday 7 December.
Have a great night out at the Soul’d Out Christmas Party on Saturday 10 December, the North East’s definitive live neo-soul, hip-hop and urban music night. Enjoy some of the greatest dance anthems and love songs ever written with the Luther Vandross tribute show, Luther on Friday 16 December. Experience the best of New Romantic 80s with the Calling Planet Earth 80s show on Thursday 8 December featuring songs from Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Ultravox, Tears For Fears, ABC, Japan, Human League and more.
New for 2022, Sage Gateshead presents a series of cabaret style concerts in the intimate surroundings of Sage Two. The line-up includes The Alehouse Sessions (Wednesday 14 December), Sage Gateshead is Curious (Thursday 15 December), Hackney Colliery Band (Friday 16 December), Jazzy Christmas with Paul Edis and Friends (Saturday 17 December)
Jess Gillam Ensemble (Wednesday 21 December), Opera North with Martin Green (Thursday 22 December), Jez Lowe (Friday 23 December).
Christmas isn’t complete for some without the magical sound of The Sixteen. On Friday 9 December, they bring a festive programme of a-capella choral music from the 12th century to the present day.
Enjoy a special screening of seasonal comedy classic Home Alone on Saturday 11 December with John William’s charming musical score performed live by Royal Northern Sinfonia, orchestra of Sage Gateshead, and the Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia.
The glamour of the West End comes to the North East this Christmas, with an evening of the biggest musical theatre hits in RNS: Christmas on Broadway on Wednesday 14 December. Michael England conducts Royal Northern Sinfonia and a cast of West End and Broadway stars. There’ll be songs from The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia!, The Lion King, Wicked and Frozen, plus a selection of seasonal musical numbers to put you in the Christmas spirit.
It wouldn’t be Christmas without Handel’s Messiah, now established as part of Sage Gateshead’s Christmas traditions. Directed from the violin by Bjarte Eike, expect a performance that brings out all the energy, freshness and sheer inspiration of this timeless classic on Saturday 17 December.
Royal Northern Sinfonia is delighted to be touring some of the North East’s most atmospheric churches again in a series of Christmas concerts. The orchestra will play a festive programme in candlelit churches in Sunderland, Cullercoats, Carlisle, Newcastle, Hexham, Kendal, Darlington and Musselburgh (Thursday 1 to Friday 9 December)
Christmas would not be complete until you’ve been to Sage Gateshead and let yourself be whisked off into the cold, starry night by The Snowman. This enchanting screening of the family favourite film, accompanied live by Royal Northern Sinfonia and runs from Wednesday 22 to Friday 24 December.
Children aged 7 and under can also join the Big Festive Family Gig on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December where a live band will play a range of seasonal favourites to sing along, dance and enjoy together. These gigs are always a hit with tickets £16 for a family of four and children’s lunch boxes available for just £3.95 to ticket holders.
Finishing off the seasonal celebrations is Royal Northern Sinfonia’s New Year’s Day Concert. Conducted by Viennese conductor Christoph Koncz, principal second violinist of the Vienna Philharmonic, bring in 2023 with waltzes and polkas by the Strauss family in the Viennese tradition.
During the festive season, audiences can enjoy themed meals and platters on selected nights. Highlights include a Pizza Parlour and milk shakes for Home Alone in Concert with RNS, three-course dining for The Messiah, The Snowman themed festive platters, and antipasto charcuterie board for an extra special New Year’s Day treat.
Sage Gateshead is also here for those that like to get involved and hands on; there are various opportunities to make music at Sage Gateshead this Christmas, with the Sage Gateshead Christmas Choir December sees ‘sharing concerts’ from tutors and students alike, and special one-off classes ranging from SING: Gospel Christmas (Saturday 10 December) to Play Guitar or SING: Rolling Stones (Thursday 15 December).
The children and young people who take part in Sage Gateshead’s Young Musicians Programme will also be at the heart of Christmas, with free performances making the YMP Live: Winter Wonders concerts a highlight celebrating the end of a brilliant year of music-making for all ages.
Sage Gateshead wants to ensure everyone can join in with a Sage Gateshead Christmas and due to popular demand last Christmas, Sage Gateshead will offer 1,000 £5 and £2.50 tickets across the Christmas season, to North East audiences coming to the venue for the first time. The charity hopes this offer will be particularly helpful to those who might otherwise be unable to afford tickets. The first tickets made available are for Royal Northern Sinfonia concerts in December, which can be purchased by phoning the Box Office on 0191 443 4661.
Abigail Pogson, Managing Director of Sage Gateshead, said:
“Christmas at Sage Gateshead is back at full throttle for 2022. Meanwhile, Royal Northern Sinfonia are out across the region with a Christmas by Candlelight programme. And over 1000 of our tickets will be priced £5 and £2.50, targeting those who otherwise might not be able to come. We want as many people as possible to be able to celebrate Christmas with music this year. Whether you want traditional Christmas music, a fun night out with friends or something for the whole family, we’re looking forward to welcoming you in December.”
ENDS
For further media information please contact:
Susie Gray, The Corner Shop PR
E: susie@thecornershoppr.com M: 07834 073795
Jackie Thompson
E: Jackie.thompson@sagegateshead.com M: 0191 443 4602