Europe's longest-serving orchestra leader bows out

Violinist David Greed, who has been leader of the Orchestra of Opera North since it was founded in 1978 will be leaving the orchestra this year. Now the longest-serving orchestra leader in Europe, Greed will leave the orchestra after performing in Wagner’s Parsifal with Opera North in June

Before this he will solo in Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto next Sunday conducted by Antony Hermus, Opera North’s principal guest conductor. The performance will be part of Huddersfield Town Hall’s mid-century programme.

Greed said: ‘It’s just an amazing piece. Shostakovich had to produce two kinds of work: one to appease the Soviet authorities, and the other to express himself properly, and this piece falls into the latter category. I think it’s something that will really capture the Huddersfield audience’.

Following this, Greed will be joined by friends and colleagues in a farewell lunchtime concert at Dewsbury Town Hall. He reminisced: ‘In the mid-80s a Dewsbury concert series was set up by the Kirklees Music Officer, and for the first few years almost every concert was me and group called Capricci, but eventually the crowds built so we had to move into the main hall, which was a major triumph.’

The Orchestra of Opera North is the only British ensemble with a year-round dual role in the opera house and concert hall, performing in Leeds International Concert Season, Leeds University’s International Concert Season, and Kirklees Concert Season in Huddersfield and Dewsbury Town Halls.

Greed’s final performances with Opera North will be Parsifal, Wagner’s opera about the quest for the Holy Grail. Greed explained: ‘I wanted to do something really big with the Company one more time. It seems the most fantastic thing to do as a last opera’.

Tickets for the concerts mentioned, plus Opera North’s Parsifal are available from at the Opera North website.