Aberdeen’s historic Music Hall will officially reopen on December 8 with a series of special performances following its two-year, £9 million transformation.
Travis frontman Fran Healy will usher in a new era at the beloved venue as he headlines the celebrations.
The Scots singer will perform a special rendition of his band’s hit Sing alongside the Music Hall community choir.
Members of the public will then be invited to join free tours of the redeveloped building from 9.30am on the day.
Visitors will also enjoy a carefully selected programme of entertainment and activities designed to showcase the creative talents of communities across the north-east.
The formal opening will take place the following weekend with two special concerts set to celebrate the return to its stage in style.
On Saturday December 15, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra will take to the stage, followed by Scottish pop rock band Texas the following day.
Since the Music Hall closed for the works in 2016, the 200-year-old venue has undergone significant changes.
It now features a new performance studio, an updated café bar, restaurant, a new location for the box office and improved access for people with disabilities.
And its famous auditorium, which has hosted a huge number of A-list musicians from David Bowie to Emeli Sande, has been treated to new flooring, staging, seating and decoration, alongside essential repair works.
Jane Spiers, the chief executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts, said: “We’re so excited at the prospect of stepping back into the hall and welcoming everyone through the doors.
“It has been a labour of love and a complete privilege to play a part in the history of such a national treasure.
“It’s been a hugely ambitious and complex project and what’s been achieved within our £9 million budget is incredible.
“It has been made possible thanks to a great team of committed professionals who believed in the project and have always gone the extra mile.
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“They include our architects BDP, contractor Keir, project manager Axiom and the amazing APA team.”
The opening celebrations continue with the Evening Express Carol Concert on December 9.
Then, on December 20, Phil Cunningham will star in a Christmas Songbook, featuring legendary singers Karen Matheson and Eddi Reader, along with instrumentalists John McCusker and Kris Drever.
Jenny Laing, co-leader of Aberdeen City Council said: “We were delighted to have invested £3 million in the redevelopment of the Music Hall as part of our £1 billion transformation of the city’s infrastructure,.
“It’s great to see our much-loved cultural landmark re-open its doors in its greatly improved form.”
Iain Munro, the acting chief executive of Creative Scotland added: “The revitalisation of the Music Hall comes at a time of step change in ambition for the cultural offer in the city.”
Tickets for the four re-opening concerts go on sale at 9.30am on Friday.
They will be available online at www.aberdeenperformingarts.com, or by calling 01224 641122.
