What’s On
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Exhibitions
Free
Tim Noble & Sue Webster: Love and Hate at Firstsite
Thursday 09 November 2023 - Saturday 01 February 2025
In this presentation, seven light sculptures by Noble & Webster illuminate areas of the Firstsite building with pops of glimmering colour.
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Free
Concrete Dreams: Just Can’t Get Enough
Saturday 20 April - Sunday 10 November 2024
Presented 75 years after Basildon in Essex was designated a New Town, ‘Concrete Dreams: Just Can’t Get Enough’ reflects on the influence of the Britain’s post-war new town movement on cultural identity, and the impact of policy decisions on individual lives.
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Free
Jane Ostler: Finding the Hand of Kindness
Saturday 12 October 2024 - Sunday 23 February 2025
“Finding The Hand of Kindness” is inspired by Jane’s own life, reflecting on her roles as a caregiver, the impact of patriarchal expectations, and the everyday moments of kindness. Through her art, Jane invites us to see how creativity can be a source of comfort and connection.
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Sing Sing
Sunday 13 October 2024
11:00 am
More times available
Divine imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men.
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Life Drawing with Justine Moss – all levels
Sunday 13 October 2024
1:30 pm
More times available
Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, gain confidence in drawing the figure, with these tutored life drawing sessions.
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The Italian Job (55th Anniversary 4K Re-Issue) (Captioned)
Sunday 13 October 2024
2:30 pm
The Italian Job shows a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam.
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The Italian Job (55th Anniversary 4K Re-Issue)
Tuesday 15 October 2024
10:15 am
The Italian Job shows a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam.
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Free
Art in the Community
Tuesday 15 October 2024
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
More times available
Art in the Community sessions are for people who use creativity to improve their well-being, and for recovery from mental and physical issues
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TASAF Lecture Series: Banksey: The A-Z of a Street Artist
Tuesday 15 October 2024
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Join us for an engaging and insightful session by Ray Warburton in The Arts Society at Firstsite (TASAF) Lecture series!
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Free
Colchester Library Rhymetimes at Firstsite
Wednesday 16 October 2024
More times available
While Colchester Library is closed for refurbishment, weekly Baby & Toddler Rhymetimes are continuing at Firstsite.
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Touch
Wednesday 16 October 2024
11:00 am
More times available
After receiving a dementia diagnosis at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, widower Kristofer leaves behind his home in Touch…
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Black Dog
Wednesday 16 October 2024
2:30 pm
More times available
A man released from jail returns to his hometown and strikes up an unlikely connection with a Black Dog turning the page in life.
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Free
MiniCLIP Colchester
Wednesday 16 October 2024
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
More times available
MiniCLIP – a free weekly music club for young people age 11 to 14 at Firstsite Colchester, on term time Wednesdays from 4 – 5pm.
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The Italian Job (55th Anniversary 4K Re-Issue (Parent & Baby)
Thursday 17 October 2024
11:30 am
The Italian Job shows a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Free
YAK | Young Art Kommunity
Thursday 17 October 2024
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Young Art Kommunity (YAK) is Firstsite’s young-people peer led group which organises events and activities within the gallery and in the wider community.
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Introduction to Canal Folk Art with Marie Charles
Thursday 17 October 2024
6:00 pm
Delve into the rich history and techniques of Canal Folk Art; a beautiful but now endangered art form and take home your masterpiece!
Find out moreFree
Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK Viewing Party
Thursday 17 October 2024
7:30 pm
More times available
Time to warm up your inner drag and start your engines! This year’s Ru Paul’s drag race viewing party is back with a bang at Firstsite!
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Dance and Movement for Well-being
Friday 18 October 2024
10:30 am
More times available
A gentle session for over 60s to ease joint mobility, improve agility, balance and self-awareness in movement. Every Friday 10:30am during term times.
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Boonie Bears: Time Twist
Friday 18 October 2024
11:00 am
Welcome to the Boonie Bears: Time Twist! Vick has his world turned upside down when an VIP client offers him the chance to change his life.
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The Critic
Friday 18 October 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
Jimmy Erski, The Critic, is the most feared and vicious theatre critic but he himself suddenly in the crosshairs of the Daily Chronicle.
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Rob Peace
Friday 18 October 2024
5:00 pm
More times available
Rob Peace grew up in an impoverished section of Newark living a dual life in academia earning degrees and selling on the streets…
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Lee
Friday 18 October 2024
7:30 pm
More times available
Photographer Lee Miller is determined to document the truth of the Nazi regime in spite of the odds stacked against female correspondents.
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Boonie Bears: Time Twist (Relaxed)
Saturday 19 October 2024
11:00 am
Welcome to the Boonie Bears: Time Twist! Vick has his world turned upside down when an VIP client offers him the chance to change his life.
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A Story of Bones
Saturday 19 October 2024
2:30 pm
More times available
As the Environmental Officer for Saint Helena’s trouble airport project, Annina Van Neel learned of A Story of Bones on the island.
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MET Opera Live: Grounded
Saturday 19 October 2024
5:45 pm
Tony Award–winning composer Tesori’s new MET Opera Live: Grounded, wrestles with often-overlooked issues created by 21st-century war-making.
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Nature drawing workshop with Lisa Temple-Cox
Sunday 20 October 2024
10:30 am
More times available
Explore observational drawing and discover your favourite medium with this nature drawing workshop.
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The Royal Ballet : Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Sunday 20 October 2024
2:00 pm
Tumble down the rabbit hole in the adaptation of this famous family story in The Royal Ballet: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
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The Critic (Captioned)
Tuesday 22 October 2024
11:00 am
Jimmy Erski, The Critic, is the most feared and vicious theatre critic but he himself suddenly in the crosshairs of the Daily Chronicle.
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Lee (Captioned)
Tuesday 22 October 2024
2:00 pm
Photographer Lee Miller is determined to document the truth of the Nazi regime in spite of the odds stacked against female correspondents.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Mini Movers & Makers Toddler Group
Thursday 24 October 2024
10:00 am
More times available
This brand new artist-led toddler group provides a safe and fun environment for children under 5 and parents/carers to be curious and explore interactive, sensory storytelling and experiment with a range of art activities and materials.
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Boonie Bears: Time Twist (Parent & Baby)
Thursday 24 October 2024
11:30 am
Welcome to the Boonie Bears: Time Twist! Vick has his world turned upside down when an VIP client offers him the chance to change his life.
Find out moreCinema
200% Wolf
Friday 25 October 2024
11:00 am
More times available
Heroic poodle Freddy Lupin has everything it takes to lead his werewolf pack, except respect. If only he were more… wolfish, like 200% wolf.
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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Friday 25 October 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
Beetlejuice is back in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home.
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The Substance
Friday 25 October 2024
4:30 pm
More times available
Deliriously entertaining and ruthlessly satirical, Coralie Fargeat’s Cannes sensation, The Substance, turns toxic beauty culture inside out.
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Free
Opening Celebration | Leonora Carrington: Avatars & Alliances
Friday 25 October 2024
Join us for a special evening event to celebrate the opening of ‘Avatars & Alliances’, Leonora Carrington’s debut exhibition in the East of England!
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Bob Marley: One Love
Friday 25 October 2024
7:30 pm
More times available
Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity.
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Free
Leonora Carrington: Avatars & Alliances
Saturday 26 October 2024 - Sunday 23 February 2025
Step into the magical and mystical world of Leonora Carrington, the British-Mexican painter and novelist, in her debut exhibition in the East of England.
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200% Wolf (Relaxed)
Saturday 26 October 2024
11:00 am
Heroic poodle Freddy Lupin has everything it takes to lead his werewolf pack, except respect. If only he were more… wolfish, like 200% wolf.
Find out moreCinema
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Captioned)
Saturday 26 October 2024
1:00 pm
Beetlejuice is back in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Free
Action Art Play: The Presentation
Sunday 27 October 2024
10:00 am
You’re invited to play hide and seek and build towers with the art and pursue your curiosities at Action Art Play: The Presentation.
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Make
Tuesday 29 October 2024
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
More times available
Get making during our Holiday Fun: Make session with a variety of free creative activities at Firstsite this half-term.
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Bolly Shake
Tuesday 29 October 2024
10:45 am
Holiday Fun: Bolly Shake invites you to dive into the vibrant world of Indian traditional and Bollywood dance, perfect for beginners!
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Canteen
Tuesday 29 October 2024
11:45 am
More times available
Enjoy freshly made hot meals for all the family at Firstsite’s Holiday Fun Canteen in Colchester town centre.
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Football
Tuesday 29 October 2024
12:00 pm
Run, jump and kick this autumn with Holiday Fun: Football! Meet your local heroes from Colchester United and Colchester Villa.
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The Substance (Captioned)
Tuesday 29 October 2024
2:00 pm
Deliriously entertaining and ruthlessly satirical, Coralie Fargeat’s Cannes sensation, The Substance, turns toxic beauty culture inside out.
Find out moreChildren & Families
Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Gardening
Wednesday 30 October 2024
10:45 am
Join us for these hands-on gardening sessions where you will help to plant for the season ahead and create some earth inspired art.
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Rugby
Wednesday 30 October 2024
12:00 pm
Children can get active and release some steam this half-term with Rugby at Firstsite Holiday Fun in Colchester!
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The Royal Opera: Wolf Witch Giant Fairy
Wednesday 30 October 2024
2:00 pm
The Royal Opera: Wolf Witch Giant Fairy is an ‘enchantingly staged’ family folk opera, following the triumphant, Olivier Award-winning run.
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Free
Holiday Fun October 2024 – Drumming
Thursday 31 October 2024
10:45 am
More times available
Children can participate in this fun and relaxed session this half-term with Drumming at Firstsite Holiday Fun in Colchester!
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200% Wolf (Parent & Baby)
Thursday 31 October 2024
11:30 am
Heroic poodle Freddy Lupin has everything it takes to lead his werewolf pack, except respect. If only he were more… wolfish, like 200% wolf.
Find out moreChildren & Families
Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Circus
Thursday 31 October 2024
12:00 pm
Step right up, step right up, for this half-term Holiday Fun session to learn some circus skills with Beef Wright!
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Shaun Of The Dead (20th Anniversary)
Thursday 31 October 2024
5:10 pm
There comes a day when every man has to get off the couch…and kill zombies. Let’s celebrate that in Shaun Of The Dead (20th Anniversary).
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Beginners Breakdance
Friday 01 November 2024
10:45 am
Children can learn some new moves this half-term in Colchester with our Holiday Fun: Breakdance Beginners session at Firstsite!
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 – Advanced Breakdance
Friday 01 November 2024
12:00 pm
Children can show off their best moves this half-term in Colchester with our Holiday Fun Breakdance Advanced session!
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Tears For Fears Live (A Tipping Point Film)
Friday 01 November 2024
5:15 pm
More times available
Tears For Fears Live (A Tipping Point Film) was captured during The Tipping Point Tour Part 2 in 2023 and features their greatest hits!
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Late Lounge @ Firstsite
Friday 01 November 2024
8:00 pm
More times available
Join us for late cocktails and strange happenings in our late night lounge. Ambient DJ’s create a sonic backdrop to a bizarre, surreal and at times truly mystifying collection of performances.
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Free
Folk & Bespoke Artisan Craft Market
Saturday 02 November 2024
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
More times available
Have a handmade shopping day. The people in your life deserves something special and for a totally unique gift, you cannot beat handmade.
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Free
Holiday Fun: October 2024 -Afro-moves
Saturday 02 November 2024
12:00 pm
Dance your way into the half-term with fun and energetic Afro-Moves at Firstsite Holiday Fun in Colchester! Most suitable for 4 – 11 years.
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Drag Life Drawing with Sirena Hart
Saturday 02 November 2024
6:00 pm
A one-of-a-kind life drawing class, where your tutor and model will offer multiple poses in fantastical settings.
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Phantom Of The Opera at the Royal Albert Hall
Sunday 03 November 2024
1:30 pm
More times available
The 25th anniversary of the first public performance of Phantom of the Opera was celebrated with a fully-staged, lavish production.
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Shakespeare’s Globe presents Othello
Wednesday 06 November 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
Shakespeare’s Globe presents Othello, a critically-acclaimed production captured live during its run at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse!
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Boozy Brushes
Friday 08 November 2024
7:30 pm
More times available
Join Sirena Hart for Boozy Brushes at Firstsite – our New Multi-Art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza!
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Exhibition on Screen: Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers
Sunday 10 November 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
A century after acquiring its first Van Gogh works, the National Gallery is hosting Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers.
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Free
S&B Colchester
Thursday 14 November 2024
7:00 pm
Join local artists, Amy & Meg each month in S&B Colchester to try out different textile based techniques at our fun and free taster sessions!
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Matt Forde: End Of An Era Tour
Friday 15 November 2024
8:00 pm
We’re taking you out for a night of laughs with leading political comedian and satirist Matt Forde in his Matt Forde: End Of An Era Tour!
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Free
Colchester Record Fair
Saturday 16 November 2024
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
More times available
Colchester’s Record Fair returns to Firstsite, a treat for both enthusiasts and casual collectors alike. Come browse through stall holders’ collections of vinyl and CDs from a vast range of genres. Grab yourself a bargain – or perhaps something a little rarer.
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National Theatre Live: Prima Facie
Saturday 16 November 2024
4:30 pm
More times available
Tony award-winning Prima Facie, shows Tessa a brilliant barrister who is forced to confront the lines of patriarchal power.
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Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration
Sunday 17 November 2024
2:45 pm
More times available
Tuscany, Italy, bursts to life with enchanting melodies at the Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration featuring surprise guest appearances!
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TASAF Lecture Series: Surrealism
Tuesday 19 November 2024
2:30 pm
Join us for a thought-provoking and insightful session by Lucrezia Walker in The Arts Society at Firstsite (TASAF) Lecture series!
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Girl From The North Country
Thursday 21 November 2024
7:00 pm
More times available
Girl From The North Country meets a group of wayward travellers whose lives intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life and hope.
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Surrealism Poetry Workshop with Derek Adams
Friday 22 November 2024
7:30 pm
New to writing poetry or an experienced poet? Our Surrealism Poetry Workshop with Derek Adams will help you to revitalise your writing!
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MET Opera Live: Tosca
Saturday 23 November 2024
5:45 pm
Puccini’s MET Opera Live: Tosca about a volatile diva, a sadistic police chief, and an idealistic artist has offended and thrilled audiences!
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Kiss Me, Kate: The Musical
Friday 29 November 2024
7:00 pm
More times available
Porter’s legendary Kiss Me, Kate: The Musical comedy has backstage shenanigans, Shakespearean sonnets, singing gangsters and a hot romance!
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The Black Pirate (1926) – with live piano accompaniment
Saturday 30 November 2024
2:30 pm
Experience The Black Pirate, one of the monumental accomplishments of the silent era, with a live piano accompaniment by Lillian Henley!
Find out moreFestive Workshops
Candle Decorating
Sunday 01 December 2024
10:00 am
Relax this season at our Candle Decorating workshop. Celebrate the occasion with an enjoyable morning decorating your own festive candles.
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Wreath Making
Thursday 05 December 2024
7:00 pm
Join Firstsite this joyous season for a wreath making session where you will learn how to make an eco-friendly wreath for your front door.
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Wicker Star Workshop
Friday 06 December 2024
10:00 am
T’is the season to wicker! Feeling festive? How about lighting up your homes with a unique decoration in our Wicker Star workshop.
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Andre Rieu’s 2024 Christmas Concert: Gold and Silver
Saturday 07 December 2024
6:45 pm
More times available
Celebrate the holiday season with André Rieu’s 2024 Christmas Concert: Gold and Silver, exclusively in cinemas!
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Festive Canal Folk Art
Sunday 08 December 2024
2:00 pm
Delve into the techniques of Canal Folk Art this season with a Festive Canal Folk Art session and take home your flowery bauble masterpieces!
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The Royal Ballet: Cinderella
Sunday 15 December 2024
2:00 pm
Be transported into an ethereal world at the The Royal Ballet: Cinderella where a sprinkling of fairy dust makes dreams come true.
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The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker
Friday 20 December 2024
7:00 pm
More times available
Discover the enchantment of ballet with The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker, a sparkling festive treat for the whole family.
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The Royal Opera: The Tales of Hoffmann
Sunday 19 January 2025
2:00 pm
Four women: four curious love stories. Juan Diego Flórez leads a fantastic cast in the Royal Ballet and Opera: The Tales of Hoffman.
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TASAF Lecture Series: Arts Hidden Secrets
Tuesday 21 January 2025
2:30 pm
Join us for a thought-provoking and insightful session by Tony Rawlins in The Arts Society at Firstsite (TASAF) Lecture series!
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MET Opera Live: Aida
Saturday 25 January 2025
5:15 pm
American soprano Angel Blue headlines in MET Opera Live: Aida as the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country.
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Les Misérables: The Staged Concert (40th Anniversary celebration)
Sunday 02 February 2025
1:00 pm
More times available
Les Misérables is one of the world’s most popular musicals. Experience this unique encore of the show to celebrate its 40th Anniversary.
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National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being Earnest
Thursday 20 February 2025
7:00 pm
Sharon D Clarke is joined by Ncuti Gatwa in this joyful reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated comedy – The Importance of Being Earnest.
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The Royal Ballet: Swan Lake
Thursday 27 February 2025
7:15 pm
More times available
The Royal Ballet: Swan Lake combines Tchaikovsky’s score with incredibly creative choreography and designs.
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Jesus Christ Superstar Live
Tuesday 04 March 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock classic Jesus Christ Superstar Live returns to its roots with this sensational performance in the UK.
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MET Opera Live: Fidelio
Saturday 15 March 2025
4:45 pm
Following a string of awe-inspiring performances, Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen returns as Leonore in MET Opera Live: Fidelio.
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The Royal Ballet: Romeo & Juliet
Thursday 20 March 2025
7:15 pm
More times available
In The Royal Ballet: Romeo & Juliet, love flourishes in Verona despite the shadow of an ancient family feud.
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Exhibition on Screen: Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874
Tuesday 25 March 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
Impressionists are the most famous in art history but they were once penniless outsiders, until the Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874.
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Billy Elliot The Musical Live (20th Anniversary)
Sunday 30 March 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
Billy Elliot The Musical shows Billy’s journey from the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance.
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The Royal Opera: Turandot
Sunday 06 April 2025
2:00 pm
The Royal Ballet and Opera: Turandot is puccini’s captivating opera of a cold-hearted princess and her mysterious suitor.
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MET Opera Live: Le Nozze di Figaro
Saturday 26 April 2025
5:45 pm
Mozart’s timeless and profoundly humane comedy returns to Firstsite in MET Opera Live: Le Nozze di Figaro.
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MET Opera Live: Salome
Saturday 17 May 2025
5:45 pm
Met Music Director Nézet-Séguin takes the podium to conduct Strauss’s one-act incendiary and powerful tragedy in MET Opera Live: Salome.
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The Royal Opera: Die Walküre
Sunday 18 May 2025
2:00 pm
Gods and mortals battle in the second chapter of Wagner’s Ring cycle in the Royal Ballet and Opera: Die Walküre.
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Exhibition on Screen: Michelangelo: Love and Death
Wednesday 21 May 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
Michelangelo’s spectacular works seem so familiar, but do we really know this renaissance genius? This is Michelangelo: Love and Death.
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The Royal Ballet: Ballet to Broadway: Wheeldon Works
Sunday 25 May 2025
2:00 pm
The Royal Ballet: Ballet to Broadway: Wheeldon Works showcases the remarkable choreographic range of Christopher Wheeldon.
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MET Opera Live: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Saturday 31 May 2025
5:45 pm
MET Opera Live 2024–25 season comes to a close with MET Opera Live: Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Rossini’s effervescent comedy.
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