Kitty Whately, Anna Tilbrook and James Mayhew – Lunchtime Opening Recital
1.00—2.00pm

Artists
Kitty Whately mezzo-soprano
Anna Tilbrook piano
James Mayhew artist
As Kitty Whately sings and Anna Tilbrook plays, acclaimed artist James Mayhew will create a world of colour and imagery live on stage. His illustrations will unfold in real time, projected above the musicians, transforming the music before your eyes and allowing each song to take on a life of its own.
We are delighted to welcome British mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately and pianist Anna Tilbrook to open the Festival with this unique interdisciplinary recital. Featuring a richly varied programme of haunting landscapes, folk traditions and powerful dramatic narratives featured both in established traditional German and English song repertoire as well as music by lesser-known and contemporary composers, the performance brings together music and visual art in an extraordinary shared act of imagination — the audience watching, listening and discovering the work as it happens.
Come and experience the magic of a song not only heard, but seen.
Programme
Clara Schumann
Lorelei
Franz Schubert
Gretchen am Spinnrade
Johannes Brahms
Die Mainacht
Margarete Schweikert
Totenhausen
Johanna Müller-Hermann
Die stille Stadt
Gustav Mahler
Das irdische Leben (from Des Knaben Wunderhorn)
INTERVAL
Rebecca Clarke
Binnorie
James MacMillan
Scots Song (from Three Scottish Songs)
Grace Williams
The Lament of the Border Widow
Joseph Horowitz
Lady Macbeth – A Scena
Venue Information
Booking Information
Become a Friend of Leeds Song to gain priority access to our ticket pre-sale
Friends presale:
Tue 13 Oct 2026 12:00pm
General tickets release:
Tue 27 Oct 2026 12:00pm