Victoria Wood
That Day We Sang
A Manchester love story - with singing
That Day We Sang, one of the major offerings of this year’s buzzy Manchester Festival. The children’s choir proves irresistible.
The Daily Telegraph (****)
That Day We Sang was written and directed by Victoria Wood and inspired by the story of the Manchester School Children’s Choir of 250 children from all over Manchester, who became local legends after their famous 1929 performance and recording of Nymphs and Shepherds with the Halle Orchestra.
Over 100 pupils aged 9-13 from Crab Lane Primary School, Bowker Vale Primary School, Pike Fold Primary School and the Co-operative Academy of Manchester took part in a 10-month choral development programme with leading conductor and choirmaster Anna Flannagan, to prepare to take to the stage as part of the performance. A lucky few took on speaking parts after auditions with Victoria Wood.
Encouraged by video messages from two of the original choir members (now in their nineties), the choir were trained in singing and breathing techniques, classical and contemporary music, beat- boxing, stage direction and presence and ultimately performed three songs in That Day We Sang to large audiences at Manchester’s Opera House. All that and more as our choir found time to record their own CD in a professional recording studio, and delivered a packed out performance at the Festival’s Pavilion Theatre.
