Joe Fuller: Entertainment

Opulent fantasy and double piano bravura

Welcome to 2016, the year in which you will discover the wonders of live classical music with help from me and my column, and me in person too if you like. Your first classical concert of the year could be a really fun one, with London Gay Symphony Orchestra and Actually Gay Men’s Chorus coming to the Dome.

The LGSO aim to be adventurous and ambitious in their programming, which is fantastic for us since they have a great show lined up. Saint-Saëns’ grandiose fantasy, ‘Carnival Of The Animals’ is a superb suite featuring 14 short movements that are beguiling and evocative. Each movement represents a different animal or animals, taking in lions, kangaroos, wild asses, personages with long ears and many more. This could be a good way to get children interested, playing guess the animal perhaps, and the short melodic nature of the pieces lends itself to winning over classical newcomers too.

Carnival Of The Animals is not merely horsing around however, there are delicate moments such as ‘The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods’ movement, which reminds me of Arvo Pärt’s staggeringly beautiful ‘Fratres’ when it’s played on piano.

Brighton & Hove’s own Actually Gay Men’s Chorus will then join the orchestra to perform highlights from Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘HMS Pinafore’. You might have heard snippets of these sung by the inimitable, richly voiced Kelsey Grammar playing Sideshow Bob in the Cape Fear episode of The Simpsons. You know: “What, never?! No, never. What, never? Hardly ever!”. Expect some boisterous nautical frolics.

The generous programme will also see guest soloists performing classics from Puccini, Albinoni, Wagner, Lutoslawski and other popular chorus numbers too. I like the dynamic of having guest singers at concerts, the different colours and tones of voices and performers make for a refreshing change and lend variety to proceedings.

The LGSO (joined by Coady Green and Christopher Wayne Smith) will also perform Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, which is a bold, stunning piece with a wild finale. Having two pianists on stage should make for some fun theatricality but the piece features some real beauty too.

At the time of writing there are still good seats available from as little as £8, so this is a good opportunity to see a varied night of entertainment featuring popular chorus songs and some thrilling orchestral pieces.

London Gay Symphony Orchestra and Actually Gay Men’s Chorus, Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, Sunday 10 January, 7.30pm, £8-£25 tickets from www.brightondome.org or 01273 709709