Igor Stravinsky’s ‘Firebird Suite’ will be performed at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall today (23 February) to mark the 83rd anniversary of the composer’s visit to Merseyside.

The classical music legend travelled to Liverpool in 1934 to give a recital of his music with the violinist Samuel Duskin and dined at the Bluecoat during his trip.

Conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s ‘Firebird Suite’ concert also includes a recital of Sir Edward Elgar’s ‘Violin Concerto’ performed by Chinese virtuoso Ning Feng.

Stravinsky is said to have learned of Elgar’s death while dining at the Bluecoat and called upon his fellow diners to stand in honour of “England’s greatest composer”.

Bluecoat, which is celebrating its 300th anniversary in 2017, is displaying Stravinsky’s signature as part of its archive exhibition ‘Art at the Heart of Bluecoat’.

Jayne Garrity, head of communications at Liverpool Philharmonic, says: “In Bluecoat’s 300th anniversary year our concerts are a poignant reference to these towering figures in classical music, both of whom during their careers visited and worked in Liverpool, home, in Bluecoat and Liverpool Philharmonic, to two of the UK’s longest established arts and cultural organisations.

“Many other great figures from music and the arts have or continue to visit, perform and work in both our organisations and across Liverpool today.”

The ‘Firebird Suite’ concert takes place at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall at 7.30pm and will be repeated at 2.30pm on Friday 24 February.

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