Music to return to the Sands Centre for first time in two months

Cumberland Council announced back in September that the auditorium would be closed for an extended period after the discovery of RAAC.

The venue initially had to cancel a weeklong run of Shrek the Musical last month less than 12 hours before it was due to begin and has been closed ever since, with the council blaming a change in government legislation.

The team at the Sands Centre has declared that the remainder of the concert series will continue in the Centre's new sports hall which is unaffected by RAAC.

Music at Friday's concert includes a suite from Bizet's Carmen (Image: Supplied)Undeterred by the challenges faced, the Centre said it is “firm in its dedication to the arts and culture within the community”.

“We are delighted that we have been able to relocate the Carlisle Classics series of concerts into the Sport’s Hall at The Sands Centre,” said Sands Centre manager, Daniel Charlton.

"Since the extended closure announcement, we have been working to find alternative venues where possible and pleased that we will be able to accommodate these concerts at The Sands Centre still.”

Pianist, Angela Hewitt is playing two Mozart piano concertos next year at the venue (Image: Submitted)The Sands Centre last month announced that the venue was to cancel the 'vast majority' of shows until the end of 2024 including the annual pantomime.

In a social media post, the Sands Centre said: "Following the announcement that The Sands Centre Auditorium will remain closed for an extended period, we regret to inform you that we are in the process of cancelling the vast majority of shows scheduled for the remainder of 2023 and up until the end of 2024.

"We appreciate your understanding during this challenging period. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to welcoming you back to our auditorium once improvement works are complete."

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But despite the current challenges, the upcoming Classics series will kick-off on November 10 with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra playing Dvorak’s 8th symphony and a suite from Bizet’s beloved opera, Carmen.

Other concerts planned as part of the series include Beethoven's 'Eroica' Symphony on February 15, Elgar's Cello Concerto on March 16, Angela Hewitt's Mozart performance on April 28, and culminate in Brahms' First Symphony on May 9.