BBC Concert

I attended my first concert in ages last night, at the Ulster Hall in Belfast.

This is the first year that the BBC has ceased its normal routine of a series of about six concerts in Belfast. Are they economising? 

It was an Invitation Concert broadcast for BBC Radio 3 .

This was a shorter concert than usual. It lasted about an hour, without an interval; though it was excellent and our Ulster Orchestra performed with the customary aplomb.

The most enjoyable piece for me was Mendelsshon's A Midsummer Night's Dream: Incidental Music, which featured The Midsummer Consort of female singers.

Quite a number of regular faces were missing from the orchestra, including the chief timpanist David Openshaw (have I misspelt his name?), a principal cellist and several violinists.

The Hall was practically full.

Belfast City Council still doesn't have wi-fi access in the auditorium; at least, I couldn't get any on my iPad before the concert.