In the run up to Christmas the Barbican will welcome a host of popular children’s characters through its doors with a series of special family performances to be presented on big screens with live orchestral accompaniment.
First up on 21 December are The Gruffalo and its sequel The Gruffalo’s Child. Taking audiences on an adventure into the deep dark forest, the stories by Julia Donaldson are brought to musical life by the Northern Sinfonia and a score by René Aubry.
The mixture of music and animation will continue on 22 and 23 December, when loveable double act Wallace and Gromit bring their family adventure to the venue in Wallace And Gromit’s Musical Marvels.
As the Plasticine duo turns their hands to the music business, they communicate with conductor Nicholas Collon, who uses an array of props to speak to the characters on screen, creating an engaging performance that introduces young children to the thrill of a live orchestra.
Featuring classical songs by Mozart, Debussy and Stravinsky, as well as Wallace’s very own composition My Concerto In Ee, Lad, the live performance will also include a full-length screening of hit animation A Matter Of Loaf And Death.