Jan 05 2026: An evening of Russian classics for first Brigantes concert of 2026

 Sheffield’s Brigantes Orchestra goes into the New Year with a concert featuring major works from the Russian repertoire.

The city-based professional orchestra’s current season is its biggest to date, offering a global tour of the world’s favourite music at its regular home, the historic Sheffield Cathedral.

The January 23 concert, the first of 2026, visits some Russian classics, including Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and Stravinsky’s Firebird - the latter also featuring in this years’ afternoon schools’ concert with a narrated performance.

And the special guest for the evening - performing Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death - will be bass-baritone Wiebe-Pier Cnossen, a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, who has performed in opera houses and on concert platforms throughout Europe.

“We’re staying in colder climes for the third stop of our global musical tour as we visit Russia - but the music is warm and getting warmer,” said Brigantes founder and Musical director Quentin Clare.

“Tchaikovsky's much-loved music for Romeo and Juliet has one of the most famous love themes in all of music, while Stravinsky presents his youthful virtuosity with the score to the fairytale ballet The Firebird.

 “Stravinsky’s music forms the centrepiece of our school’s performance.

“These afternoon concerts have been particularly successful in bringing hundreds of children and young people to the world of classical music.
 
“Stravinsky’s colourful, exciting score, with a special narration to bring the story to life, will really will fire their imaginations.”

To find out more about Brigantes Orchestra and its 2025/26 concert season visit thebrigantes.uk