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From the UK's first Asian art triennial festival to the British Fireworks Championships, there is something for everyone to do in Manchester this month. Read April's listings below.
Cultural event
Asia Triennial Manchester
The UK's first Asian art triennial is a festival of contemporary visual culture from Asia, celebrating Manchester's cultural diversity and exploring the artistic and political debates of the 21st century. The festival showcases work by artists from China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan in various venues in Manchester city centre.
Castlefield Gallery, Chinese Arts Centre, Cornerhouse, The International 3 and Manchester Art Gallery, April 5 - June 1. www.asiatriennialmanchester.com
BACK TO TOPOutdoor event
British Fireworks Championships - Northern Heat
Salford hosts the ultimate battle of the bangs. The first northern heat of the UK's biggest fireworks competition will see over £100,000 worth of fireworks go up in smoke as three companies battle it out for the 'regional champions' crown. Three arenas with fire jugglers, flame eaters and acrobats will provide themed entertainment for spectators in between the fireworks. The winners from the Salford round will go head to head with qualifiers from the London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Birmingham heats in the national final of the competition in Plymouth in August.
Buile Hill Park, Salford, April 12, from 7.30pm. Free. www.visitsalford.info
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Contemporaneous: Ink Animation by Chen Shaoxiong & Qiu Anxiong
Mainland Chinese artists Chen Shaoxiong and Qiu Anxiong use the oldest of Chinese visual arts to document the contemporary urban experience in China. Steeped in a history of over a thousand years, Chinese ink painting is still widely practised in China today. Shaoxiong and Anxiong work experimentally with traditional techniques and forms to create new works which meditate on life in 21st century China.
Chinese Arts Centre, Thomas Street, April 5 - June 22. Free. Tel: 0161 832 7271.
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Laura Knight at the Theatre
An exhibition featuring works by Dame Laura Knight, inspired by the theatre. Although she made her reputation as a painter of coastal landscapes and beach scenes, it was when Knight discovered the theatre in 1919 that she found a subject to suit her distinctive personality. She obtained permission to work backstage at Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and immortalised on canvas the splendour of costume and scenery on stage, as well as the quiet moments backstage away from the public eye. This exhibition draws from public and private collections across the UK and is curated by art historian Tim Wilcox especially for The Lowry.
The Lowry, until July 6. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Lindow Man: a Bog Body Mystery
The naturally preserved body of an Iron Age man is going on display at The Manchester Museum, on loan from the British Museum. Known as Lindow Man, the mummified body was discovered in a peat bog at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, in 1984. Thought to have died between AD20 and 90, he is notable for the savage way in which he was killed, which is suggestive of ritual sacrifice.
The Manchester Museum, April 19, 2008 - April 19, 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 275 2634.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Harold Riley: A Photography Retrospective 1943 - 2007
Salford-born artist Harold Riley's long and diverse photographic career is charted in this exhibition, beginning with a picture taken with a box camera and ending with images of present day Salford and cities around the world.
The Lowry, Oct 6, 2007 - April 20, 2008. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Mind-Forged Manacles: William Blake and Slavery
A touring exhibition organised to coincide with the 250th anniversary of William Blake's birth as well as the 200th anniversary of the parliamentary abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Blake was fervently opposed to slavery, in both its literal and metaphorical senses, and many of his most dramatic images show a confrontation between the forces of repression and those seeking freedom. Mind-Forged Manacles features watercolours, prints and plates from Blake's illuminated books, inspired by the theme of slavery.
Whitworth Art Gallery, until April 6. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Blake's Shadow: William Blake and his Artistic Legacy
William Blake is a unique figure in British visual culture, attracting both academic and popular interest. In the 180 years since his death, the artist has continued to influence the world of creativity and ideas. Blake's Shadow explores Blake's continuing fascination for artists, filmmakers and musicians, with watercolours, prints, paintings, illustrated books and a range of audio-visual material.
Whitworth Art Gallery, until April 20. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Harold Riley: A Photography Retrospective 1943 - 2007
Salford-born artist Harold Riley's long and diverse photographic career is charted in this exhibition, beginning with a picture taken with a box camera and ending with images of present day Salford and cities around the world.
The Lowry, until April 20. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Contact: George Rodger's War Photographs
A major photographic exhibition celebrating the centenary of George Rodger's birth. Born in Hale, Cheshire, George Rodger (1908 - 1995) was a largely self-taught photographer and pioneering photojournalist, famous for his poignant coverage of the Second World War and the conflicts of the post-war era. Contact features 100 photographs by Rodger, supplemented by documentary film, interviews, wartime publications and personal objects lent by the photographer's family.
Imperial War Museum North, Feb 9 - April 27. Free. Tel: 0161 836 4000.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Body Worlds 4
Manchester hosts the world premiere of Gunther von Hagens' hotly anticipated Body Worlds 4 - the latest and most technically refined exhibition of real human bodies, preserved with the German anatomist's ground-breaking method of plastination. Featuring individual human organs and whole-body plastinates, the exhibition allows viewers to see inside the staggeringly complex network of muscles, tendons and blood vessels that make up our bodies.
Museum of Science and Industry, Feb 22 - June 29. £10 - £11.50. Tel: 0871 231 0847.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
An audience with Sir Alex
We all suspected he was planning to remain at Old Trafford forever, but now we know how. Manchester United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has recently opened a new permanent exhibition at the club's award-winning museum, featuring a state-of-the-art interactive hologram of himself talking football. Entitled 'An audience with Sir Alex', the three-dimensional hologram uses the Peppers Ghost illusionary technique and is only the second of its kind in the UK (the only other one being a John McEnroe exhibition at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum).
Manchester United Museum, Old Trafford. Museum tickets (adult): £6.50. Museum and tour tickets (adult): £10. Tel: 0870 442 1994 (option 3).
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Ian Fennelly
Acclaimed local artist Ian Fennelly showcases over 30 of his latest prints, watercolours and etchings, featuring famous Manchester landmarks like Manchester Town Hall, The Midland Hotel and Old Trafford. Cityscapes from a selection of key world cities are also featured in this exhibition, which will be held in Manchester's CUBE in conjunction with Chester's Watergate Street Gallery. All the paintings will be available for sale, with prices ranging from £300 to £1,000, and Fennelly will be in attendance at the exhibition on selected days to talk visitors through his work, inspiration and method.
CUBE, Portland St., March 28 - April 3. Free. Tel: 0161 237 5525.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba
The first major UK exhibition of Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba - one of the most exciting Asian artists to have emerged in recent years. The exhibition features a selection of the artist's acclaimed underwater films and a new, specially commissioned print.
Manchester Art Gallery, until June 1. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
Matthew Williamson - 10 Years in Fashion
Don't miss the Northern debut of the Design Museum exhibition marking ten years since Chorlton-born Matthew Williamson's first catwalk show. Manchester's own fashion design superstar presents a colourful showcase of iconic fashion pieces, which have been worn by some of the most glamorous women in show business today.
Urbis, March 27 - Sept 21. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.
BACK TO TOPExhibition
How Manga Took Over the World
An exhibition exploring Manga's role in shaping contemporary culture. From cutesy Manga for kids to action Manga for teens and erotic Manga for adults, the exhibition studies the diverse manifestations of this unique graphic artform.
Urbis, March 13 - Sept 27. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.
BACK TO TOPTheatre
The Children's Hour
Maxine Peake and Charlotte Emmerson star in Lillian Hellman's passionate drama of prejudice and paranoia in a small-town American community. When a troubled teenager runs away from an all-girls boarding school, she draws on hearsay, gossip and her own imagination, to concoct a story that threatens the school and the futures of its two founding teachers. The production is directed by the Royal Exchange Theatre's recently appointed artistic director Sarah Frankcom.
Royal Exchange Theatre, March 5 - April 5. £8.50 - £28.00. Tel: 0161 833 9833.
BACK TO TOPTheatre
Jonah and Otto
Star Wars' Ian McDiarmid returns to the Royal Exchange Theatre for the first time in over 20 years to appear in the world premiere of Jonah and Otto - a new play by critically-acclaimed writer Robert Holman. Set in a walled garden on a warm summer's evening, Jonah and Otto tells the story of a chance encounter between two very different men - 26-year-old Jonah and 62-year-old Otto. Recently seen in Channel Four's period series City of Vice, Ian McDiarmid, who plays Otto, is best known for his recurring big screen role as Palpatine in the Star Wars saga.
The Studio at the Royal Exchange Theatre, March 12 - April 5. £9.50. Tel: 0161 833 9833.
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Theatre
Shout!
The ultimate 60s musical is on its first UK tour, which brings it to Manchester this month. Claire Sweeney and Su Pollard star in this groovy musical journey around swinging London, celebrating an era that everyone wishes they could have experienced. The show features timeless hits, including Downtown, Son Of A Preacher Man, I Only Wanna Be With You, To Sir With Love and These Boots Are Made For Walking.
Palace Theatre, March 31 - April 5. £12.50 - £25. Tel: 0844 247 2275.
BACK TO TOPTheatre
Zorro
The story of the black-clad masked hero who defends the people of Spanish California against tyrannical officials and other villains with his sword has been the subject of numerous books and motion pictures. This spring, it makes its debut as a major new musical, featuring music by the Gipsy Kings and choreography by Rafael Amargo. Watch it in Manchester this month before it transfers to the West End.
Opera House, April 1 - 5. £10 - £30.50. Tel: 0844 847 2295.
BACK TO TOPTheatre
The Man Who Had All The Luck
Arthur Miller's great American fable follows one man's struggle against his destiny. Blessed by the hand of fate, David Beeves is living the American Dream. But as the lives of those around him begin to crumble, his good luck becomes an unbearable burden.
The Lowry, April 8 - 12. £18 - £22. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPTheatre
Frozen
The Library Theatre hosts Bryony Lavery's Tony award-nominated play Frozen about the disappearance of a ten-year-old girl and the people connected by this tragedy. Studying the themes of emotional paralysis and forgiveness, the play opened at Manhattan Class Company Theatre in 2004 before transferring to Broadway and becoming one of the most talked-about plays of the decade.
Library Theatre, April 4 - 26. £9 - £18. Tel: 0161 236 7110.
BACK TO TOPTheatre
The Glass Menagerie
Double Oscar nominee Brenda Blethyn returns to the Royal Exchange to tackle one of the great roles in American drama - Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Amanda Wingfield was the most popular girl in town, with her pick of eligible bachelors - but she chose the wrong one. Now, years later, she is desperate for her two grown-up children to avoid her own mistakes but ends up stifling them into a dreadful kind of mutual dependency, with catastrophic results.
Royal Exchange Theatre, April 9 - May 24. £8.50 - £28. Tel: 0161 833 9833.
BACK TO TOPMusic
Sugababes
The award-winning pop trio returns to Manchester to demonstrate once again why it is the most successful all-female act of the 21st century in the UK.
Manchester Apollo, April 2. £26. Tel: 08709 913 913.
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Fron Male Voice Choir
Its debut album, Voices of the Valley, became the best-selling classical album of 2006. Now the Fron Male Voice Choir, comprised of members ranging from teenagers to octogenarians, is on a UK tour supporting its latest album, Encore.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 11. £20 - £27.50. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
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Adam Green
Moldy Peaches co-founder Adam Green performs tracks from his new solo album Sixes & Sevens. Expect an interesting mix of hip-swinging, sassy grooves and soft-to-the-core love songs.
Manchester Club Academy, April 11. £9. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
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Bjork
The brilliant Icelandic singer-songwriter brings the scintillating wonder of her voice to Manchester for one night only this month.
Manchester Apollo, April 11. £37. Tel: 08709 913 913.
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Marti Pellow
The Bridgewater Hall hosts a solo gig by Marti Pellow, the frontman of Glaswegian pop quartet Wet Wet Wet.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 20. £25 - £30. Tel: 0161 907 900.
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The Blue Planet Live!
Some of the most spectacular footage from the BBC's natural history series, The Blue Planet, is projected on a huge screen, while a full orchestra conducted by world renowned composer George Fenton performs live on stage.
Manchester Central, April 20. £29.50. Tel: 0844 847 1665.
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Halle - Stars and Stripes Forever
Carl Davis - a native New Yorker who made Britain his home - conducts a concert of music inspired by the cities, landscape and people of the United States of America.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 26. £9 - £35. Tel: 0161 907 900.
Music
Buena Vista Social Club presents...
A 12-piece band from Havana, comprising an extraordinary line-up of Buena Vista Social Club stalwarts, returns to The Bridgewater Hall to present some of the finest Cuban music ever made.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 29. £25 - £29.50. Tel: 0161 907 900.
BACK TO TOPDance
Richard Alston Dance Company
Alston's brand new work, Lazy River, celebrates the classic songs of Hoagy Carmichael, including Georgia On My Mind, Stardust and Riverboat Shuffle. The programme also includes Fingerprint, Alston's response to the intricate flow of J.S. Bach's keyboard music, and a new work from company dancer and choreographer Martin Lawrance.
The Lowry, April 8. £12 - £18. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPDance
Nederlands
Dans Theater 1
Internationally acclaimed modern dance company Nederlands Dans Theater 1 returns to The Lowry to present two pieces of work by choreographers Lightfoot León and Jirí Kylián.
The Lowry, April 18 & 19. £15 - £27. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPDance
Push
Legendary ballerina Sylvie Guillem is joined on stage by Russell Maliphant for a hotly anticipated mixed bill, choreographed by Maliphant himself, featuring the award-winning Push and Solo among other pieces.
The Lowry, April 24 & 25. £14 - £30. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPSport
FINA World Swimming Championships
Manchester's M.E.N. Arena, the world's top selling indoor concert venue, will temporarily be transformed into a very rock 'n' roll swimming arena when it hosts the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships this month. The five-day championships, which will feature lighting and sound effects, will be the first event of its kind ever to be staged in the UK. With over 650 athletes from 120 countries taking part, it will also be the biggest world swimming championships ever.
M.E.N. Arena, April 9 - 13. £8 - £30. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
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