MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2025

STEVE COOKE AATA
3 days ago
7 min read

previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke

MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2025

Previews: Cantare Ladies Choir - Sounds of Christmas; Aladdin – Middleton's Christmas Panto 2025; Aladdin – Middleton's Adult Panto 2025! (18+).

Reviews: Cambridge University Concerto competition winner at TLC.

Cantare Ladies Choir - Sounds of Christmas

Preview by Steve Cooke

Cantare Ladies Choir - Sounds of Christmas promises to be a magical evening of exceptional music, filled with passion, energy, and festive cheer.

The superb local choir’s diverse repertoire is guaranteed to inspire and entertain, making this a festive night to remember.

To make the occasion even more special you can enjoy a glass of mulled wine on arrival. Non-alcoholic mulled wine and juice will also be available.

The choir was originally founded in 1982 as the Debrose Choir. In 2009, they changed our name to Cantare.

The choir includes women of all ages and from all walks of life – no superstars, just people who love to sing and who want to do it well. The repertoire is exciting and wide ranging, from pop standards and songs from the shows to classical and contemporary choral pieces. The ladies “enjoy a challenge, strive to make a great sound and have a brilliant time whilst we’re doing it”.

Cantare perform regularly at concerts and other events throughout the year.

If you would like information about joining the choir, please click here: https://cantarechoir.wordpress.com/join-cantare/, or if you just want to go along and hear them sing, have a look at their Future events: https://cantarechoir.wordpress.com/future-events/

Suitable For All Audiences - Accessible viewing platform / area - Wheel chair / pram accessible

Tickets from £5.00 – Visit: all.co.uk/events/event/97/cantare-ladies-choir-–-sounds-of-christmas

Sunday 7 December 2025, 18:30.

Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, OL16 1AZ

Cambridge University Concerto competition winner at TLC

Review by Dr Joe Dawson

Rochdale’s weekly lunchtime concerts at St Mary in the Baum provide a platform for local talent, choirs, schoolchildren as well as visiting star performers like today.

Prize winning Cambridge graduate (where she won the university Concerto competition) and RNCM (where she won the Gold Medal), Madeleine Brown captivated the audience with a marvellous piano recital. With her impressive list of past and present tutors and mentors and several international prizes, she looks set for great things. Indeed, the distinguished pianist Peter Donohue described her as having ‘the potential to become a major voice in the classical music world.’

With a charming and engaging manner, Madeleine introduced a fascinating programme containing some pieces which are seldom performed. The overall theme could be said to be about invention and variation on a number of levels.

Haydn’s classical Variations in F minor were delightfully played with agility and fluency. In contrast Janacek’s Sonata of 1905 took us on an emotional journey built on nationalistic elements such as speech rhythms. Three Preludes by Debussy were impressionistic variations with an improvisatory feel such as adapting Spanish guitar rhythms to evoke the story of an ‘Interrupted Serenade’.

The crowning glory of this sumptuous and varied recital was Franck ‘s monumental Prelude, Chorale and Fugue. Based on the forms of JS Bach, as one might expect from an eminent organist, Franck explored his equally impressive pianistic prowess to develop a masterwork in keyboard variations. Initial musical ideas expressed in the prelude, fantastical pianistic expansion of the chorale chords culminated in an extended fugue that linked everything together and made us feel that variation could be infinite. All this handled superbly by Madeleine and totally from memory.

But most significant of all was Madeleine’s brilliance at taking risks on the instrument to explore variations in technique and dynamics. Rarely do we hear such exquisite soft playing, which in turn added greater power to the crescendos and climaxes … and all of this on an unfamiliar heritage piano that she only had minutes to engage with before the concert.

A stunning and inspirational performance, well on the way to fulfilling Peter Donohue’s prophecy.

The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6 cash. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

Aladdin – Middleton's Christmas Panto 2025!

Preview by Steve Cooke

This year’s panto offering at Middleton Arena is the ever popular Alladin starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Neil Jones as Abanazar*, CBBC’s Chris Johnson as Billy, Eastenders‘ Ricky Groves as The King, singing sensation Tom Sentia as Aladdin, the hilarious Craig Colley as Dame Betty, introducing Ruby Millard as The Princess & Lucy Samuels as The Spirit Of The Ring.

*Neil Jones will appear in performances from 21 December onwards.

**Callum Arnott will appear in performances until 20 December.

Join our hero Aladdin, his mother Betty and his brother Billy as they embark on a magical adventure and try to defeat the evil Abanazar and his plan to become Master Of The World.

With help from The Genie Of The Lamp and The Spirit Of The Ring, will Aladdin save the day and marry the beautiful princess? There’s only one way to find out…

This magical pantomime promises great songs, dazzling dance routines, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and amazing special effects. It will be an unforgettable experience for children and adults alike.

Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qidi0y-ixg

Tickets from £16.50

Ticket Sales & Event Enquiries (open Mon-Fri 10am – 2.30pm phone: 0300 303 8633 

Box Office email:arts.events@yourtrustrochdale.co.uk

Download the performance schedule here: https://your-content.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/04111352/Aladdin-Performance-Schedule.pdf

Tuesday 25 November – Monday 29 December 2025

Morning, afternoon and evening performances available

Duration: 2h 30m

Middleton Arena, LCpl Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton, Greater Manchester M24 1AG

Aladdin – Middleton's Adult Panto 2025! (18+)

Preview by Steve Cooke

Coming to Middleton Area is a special adults-only one-off performance of Pantomime Aladdin - a naughty twist on this beloved classic tale.

The older boys and girls are invited to indulge in what should be an unforgettable evening of laughter, innuendos, and risqué humour. This mischievous adaptation of Aladdin certainly will push the boundaries, adding a saucy twist to the traditional story you know so well.

Prepare for a raucous and entertaining experience as a talented cast brings to life a world where the characters let their hair down and embrace their cheekier side. With witty dialogue, playful interactions, and a generous dose of adult humour, this special performance promises to “tickle your funny bone and leave you giggling like naughty school children”.

If you fancy this unique adult pantomime experience book your tickets now and get ready for an evening that will have you laughing, blushing, and thoroughly entertained!

Please be advised that this performance is for adults aged 18 and above only!

Tickets from £25.00

Visit: https://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/whats-on/events/aladdin-middletons-adult-panto-2025-18/book/?instance=573402

Friday 12 December 2025

8:00pm

Doors open: 7:15pm (Strictly 18+)

Middleton Arena LCpl Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton, Greater Manchester M24 1AG

RECOMMENDED

Wednesday 12 November 2025

Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime

This week we have - Nina Savicevic piano (St Petersburg & RNCM)

The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020.

Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.

£6

Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872

Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm

St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ

Thursday 13 November 2025

Visit Fireground Museum

Join us at Fireground this week to discover Greater Manchester's firefighting story.

Fire museum attractions are on show inside the museum including our collection of historic firefighting artefacts from the 18th century to present day, plus home-made refreshments in the new Fireground Café, and souvenirs from our fantastic new gift shop! We have a wide choice ranging from toddler to collector.

Under 4s Free, Children (aged 4-15) £6, Seniors £6, Students £6, Adults £8, Family (4 people) £24.

Phone: Fireground 01706 341219

Visit: https://www.fireground.org.uk/

Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10am - 4pm

Fireground, Maclure Road, Rochdale OL11 1DN

Thursday, 13 November 2025

Reading group - Castleton Library and Community Centre

Read, share and discuss a range of fiction and non-fiction in our reading group.

2nd Thursday of every month. Discover new authors and discuss different genres of books with other keen readers at our free, friendly and informal monthly meetings.

For adults no booking required, you can just turn up.

Email: castleton.library@rochdale.gov.uk

Free

11am - 12pm

Castleton Library, 604 Manchester Road, Rochdale OL11 3AF

Friday, 14 November 2025

Reading Group - Heywood Library

Discover new authors and discuss books with other readers at this friendly and relaxed reading group.

Second Friday of every month. Discover new authors and discuss books with other readers in this friendly group. Books will be loaned from the library.

Refreshments will be provided.

For adults.

Booking required: places are limited, please book by emailing heywood.library@rochdale.gov.uk.

Free

10am - 11am

Heywood Library, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW

Friday, 14 November 2025

Castleton Literary and Scientific Society – all welcome

Mike Moore ELR Engineer - The East Lancashire Railway – behind the scenes in workshops with volunteers

Membership £25 per year, £3 per evening for non-members.

Phone: 07724135099

Visit: https://castletonlitsci.wixsite.com/caslitandsci/programme