Frequently Asked Questions
Kathryn Jenkins at Opera in the Park 2006
Do you organise Opera in the Park? How can I get tickets?
Leeds City Council runs an annual major events programme, which includes Opera in the Park and Party in the Park in July and Classical Fantasia at Kirkstall Abbey in September.
Tickets are free for these events, and are usually available to collect in person 6 weeks in advance of the event date. Ticket launch dates are advertised in the local media.
For more information contact the Events Information Line on +44 (0)113 395 0891.
Can I bring my children to a concert?
Children are welcome at all our concerts, although a full orchestral concert can be a bit of an endurance test for young children! We would recommend our Sunday afternoon series of Family Concerts for younger members of your family. If you are bringing children to a concert, please talk to the Box Office (tel: +44 (0)113 24 3801) who can advise you on appropriate seats (for example those with good sightlines, or near exit doors).
The BBC has excellent online music resources for children, including a useful Guide to the Orchestra.
Antti Siirala, winner of the 2003 competition
Where can I get information about Leeds International Piano Competition?
The next Leeds International Piano Competition will take place in September 2012.
For more information visit the competition website or contact the competition office by telephone: +44 (0)113 244 6586 or email.
Where can I eat and drink before and after concerts?
There are some excellent bars and restaurants just behind Leeds Town Hall, including the Victoria public house, Italian restaurants Casa Mia and Thai restaurant Thai Edge. Visit Leeds Live It Love It for more details on these and other restaurants in Leeds.
I?ve not been to an orchestral concert before. What should I wear? When do I clap? What time should I arrive?
If this is your first visit, why not check out our Newcomers' Guide, which gives more information on what to expect from an orchestral concert.
What plans does Leeds have for the future in terms of classical music and venues?
The City of Leeds carried out a feasibility study into new cultural facilities for Leeds, which was published in Summer 2005. The findings show that
- an arena seating 13,000 people is commercially viable and has strong support.
- a new concert hall could create a significant iconic building, but that a remodelled Town Hall provides the best and most affordable classical music facility;
The feasibility study recognised the significant potential Leeds Town Hall has to overcome its current limitations and become a major concert venue, famed for its tradition, improved facilities and the quality of its orchestral and education programmes.
Work to investigate the feasibility of developing Leeds Town Hall into an international concert hall is currently being undertaken through the City Council?s Strategic Design Alliance under instruction from Catherine Blanshard Head of Libraries, Arts and Heritage at Leeds City Council.
To read the study?s findings visit Leeds Initiative.
