Harrogate International Centre

Release Date:28th April 2008

 

Harrogate's glittering palace of gold, the Royal Hall, held its inaugural re-opening concert last night, Sunday 27 April, to a full house of delighted guests. Acclaimed conductor, Mark Elder, led the Halle Orchestra performing classical pieces by Wagner, Weber and Elgar. International concert pianist, Benjamin Frith, also gave a brilliant performance of Rachmaninov's piano concerto No 2. The Halle Orchestra first performed at the Royal Hall in 1939.

 

Celebrated actor Edward Fox, Honorary President of the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, opened the evening with a short speech providing a brief history of the Hall and explained his association with the building saying, "It is a great delight to be associated with this project".

 

As guests arrived they were greeted outside by the Tom Roberts Jazz  Band, with complementary drinks served ahead of the performance, and a celebratory glass of champagne during the interval.

 

The evening is one of three inaugural concerts sponsored by Breguet, the Swiss watchmaker.

 

After the performance, over 500 VIP guests attended a gala dinner in the HIC adjacent Hall A.  With background music performed by the Spa String Quartet, guests were truly stunned by the sumptuous setting of the Hall.

 

Speaking at the end of the meal Edward Fox acknowledged all of those involved with the project, recognising that teamwork was key to the project's success.  Within his address, Edward presented Mark Elder with a silver baton, as a gesture of thanks, telling Mark that he may only use the baton for performances at the Royal Hall!  Edward also paid tribute to the late Lilian Mina, Chair of the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, expanding humorously on her many fund-raising skills.

 

Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Dame Liz Forgan, followed Edward and with a heart-felt and strong address emphasised how important people are to the process of protecting and preserving Great Britain's heritage.

 

Councillor Mike Gardner, Leader of Harrogate Borough Council, closed the event by simply paying thanks to all the project partners and rightly highlighted the intricate and skilled work of the professional craftsmen who worked on the restoration.  He also noted the input of all the staff working on the opening night.

 

Stuart Quin, Director of Harrogate International Centre commented, "Having been intricately involved with the project from its inception, and worked with so many willing and forward thinking partners to achieve what is a unique and stunning refurbishment, I was extremely pleased to be able to witness the  Hall's re-opening on such a magnificent occasion.  Moving forward, the venue's ambition focuses on ensuring the Royal Hall is a live and active venue, reaching out to many different audiences."

 

To view the Royal Hall and find out more about its heritage, please visit the public open day on Monday 5th May. Entertainment will run throughout the day and admission is free.