Escape Your Everyday – 2023/24 Season On Sale

There’s nothing quite like being immersed in the phenomenal sound of a live orchestra, so its time to book your tickets and give yourself a night to remember. Full details of all concerts and links to book can be found in the What’s On Section or click the image below for a PDF of the 2023/24 Season Brochure.

2023/24 sadly marks the end of Daniele Rustioni’s time as Music Director of the Ulster Orchestra, but the Season will be a fitting send-off and will welcome friends of the conductor such as Alban Gerhardt, Federico Colli and Daniel Müller-Schott for stellar performances. Maestro Rustioni’s wife, violinist Francesca Dego, will join us for two concerto performances as our inaugural Artist in Focus, as well as combining with our players in a special touring chamber music project in March 2024. Rustioni’s tenure will finish with a performance of Mahler’s incredible Symphony No. 2, Resurrection, which will see the orchestra and soloists Ruby Hughes and Kai Rüütel joined by regular concert partners Belfast Philharmonic Choir. 

Elsewhere in the main concert series, we welcome back old friends such as Michael Collins, Tianyi Lu, Alena Baeva and Honorary Principal Guest Conductor Jac van Steen, and we look forward to meeting debuting performers such as Matilda Lloyd, Mahan Esfahani and Belfast International Arts Festival Featured Artist for 2023, Nicholas McCarthy. We’ll be telling familiar tales such as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the Enigma Variations and Petrushka, while a new commission from NI composer Conor Mitchell will bring to life the moving and inspirational story of World War II activist Sophie Scholl.

Our Pops Series always provides a memorable evening at the Waterfront Hall, and this year we will bring to life on-stage the music of Burt Bacharach and the Star Wars universe, while legendary Liverpudlian actor Mark McGannwill explore the relationship between those epic songwriters John Lennon and Paul McCartney in a night devoted to the music of The Beatles. 

Families can enjoy favourites such as The Snowman and Peter and the Wolf and meet a new character – Gaspard the Fox – on a delightful Saturday afternoon that will combine music and live illustration.

No Christmas would be complete without our annual performances of Messiah and The Magic of Christmas and Easter will see a performance of Dvořák’s beautiful, profound Stabat mater for Good Friday.

Everyone loves to be told a story and we know there’s a story that you need to hear in the 2023/24 Season. So book your seats now – because when you’re sitting comfortably, then we’ll begin…