Yorkshire Calling

Yorkshire’s got a brand-new stage – and it’s not whispering, it’s shouting.

Bradford Live, the region’s newest 3,000-seater stunner, throws open its doors for its first evening event: Yorkshire Calling.

Enter Yorkshire legends Ian McMillan and Ben Crick with A Northern Score – a bold, beautiful journey through the history of God’s Own County. Expect poetry, power, and pigs (yes, really) as we meet 20 larger-than-life Yorkshire folk: from a 7th-century swineherd to a modern-day boxer, with a few inventors, writers, musicians and cricketers along the way.

Singer Aled Jones also joins this celebration, lending his iconic voice to the story. Ian’s whip-smart verse, paired with Ben’s goosebump-raising score, will be brought to life by the mighty Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra – all 50 of them, led by the brilliant David Greed.

The night kicks off with some serious musical firepower: Leeds International Piano Festival Alumni Yuanfan Yang performs his own Piano Concerto 4, an intoxicating mix of Chinese and Yorkshire melodies, as the debut piece for the new Waterman Concerto Series, followed by the foot-stomping harmonies of BBC Leeds' The Bantam of the Opera choir.

The Bantam of the Opera choir features fans of Bradford City AFC, known as ‘the Bantams’ who have been taught to sing opera to celebrate Bradford’s UK City of Culture year. The world-renowned BBC Singers have supported the choir during their development, with support from Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and opera singer Lesley Garrett.

This Yorkshire Day don’t just wave a flag – come hear your history set to music, poetry, and a bit of cheek!