Royal Northern Sinfonia WILL ROCK YOU!

If ever a rock band were going to have their back catalogue made symphonic, it had to be Queen.  The Queen Symphony is the work of composer and arranger, Tolga Kashif, who on Saturday 7 February joins Royal Northern Sinfonia to conduct the mammoth work in Sage Gateshead’s Hall One. Written for a 71-piece orchestra and full chorus, in six movements, the breadth covered by this symphonic interpretation is massive, and promises to leave audiences astounded. Following its premiere by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Brian May described the work as follows: Imagine a composer of the imagination and daring of a Tchaikovsky, a Holst or a Mussorgsky. Imagine him let loose with the entire Queen catalogue of melodies, atmospheres and textures, and a vast orchestra and a huge choir. Then you’ll be close to imagining where this work begins. This is something monumental and quite outrageous. The work features the hits: Radio Gaga, The Show Must Go On, One Vision, I Was Born to Love You, Another One Bites the Dust, Bicycle Race, Save Me, Who Wants to Live Forever and of course Bohemian Rhapsody. Freddie Mercury had said in an interview that he would 'like people to put their own interpretation' on his songs, which is exactly what Kashif has done with Queen’s biggest hits. However, this is not the songs simply orchestrated; they are weaved throughout a bigger, distinctly symphonic work. Ever an inventive musician, Mercury had delved into the classical oeuvre towards the end of his life, most notably on his album Barcelona where he collaborated with opera singer Montserrat Caballé. As a warm-up, Inspiration Choir bring their usual dazzle to legendary hits, including Tina and Ike Turner classic Proud Mary, Adele’s belting Rollin’ in the Deep plus a rather comprehensive Beatles medley.