This Saturday the 6th of December, the BAFTA-winning animated movie The Snowman^TM and a production of Profokiev’s classic score, Peter and the Wolf, will be coming to Durham Cathedral in a one-of-a-kind musical cinema performance produced by Carrot Productions.

The Snowman, based on the children’s illustrated book by Raymond Brigg’s, charts the story of James, a young boy who builds a snowman in his back garden and discovers on the stroke of midnight, that his snowman has come to life. The two embark on a festive night-time adventure to the North Pole and back in this touching Christmas tale. To bring the magic to life, the screening will be accompanied by a live orchestra, made up of top professional musicians from the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic, the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Manchester Camerata, filling the cathedrals high ceilings and deep naves with Howard Blake’s iconic soundtrack for an unforgettable experience. In this unique performance, Young Cathedral choristers are given the rare opportunity to perform alongside a professional orchestra in a performance of Walking in the Air, the score’s most famous track.

The performance even includes a visit from the Snowman himself!

Alongside the performance of The Snowman is Peter and the Wolf, a specially commissioned animated short film by Carrot Productions, who worked in collaboration with Georgian 2D animator and animation director Tsotne Rusishvili to produce a beautiful visualization of the Russian folk tale. The animation will appear in tandem with Profokiev’s classic symphony fairytale in a one-off combination of both art and music. The original score has been modified by Carrot Production’s own arranger and composer Daniel Whibley, who has been bringing their productions to life for over a decade. Mr Whibley, the Cbeebies Musical Storyland composer, has also worked on other productions with the company, including their iconic collaboration with Aardman Animations in the much-loved performances of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

Founded in 2013, Carrot Productions is a specialist and world leader in the creation and staging of film and orchestra performances, boasting 800 performances across the UK and worldwide, even reaching as far as Australia. The Snowman, their most famous production, has been running since the beginning. First starting in 2013 in Glossop, Derbyshire, with just 5 performances, The Snowman Tour is now presented in more than 80 venues all over the UK in sell out-performances, each time in iconic national venues for the finest acoustics, an enchanting setting and an extraordinary experience that encapsulates that child-like feeling of Christmas. The theatre company have also worked with big British names like Aardman Animations and Penguin, including celebrity features such as Joanna Lumley, who starred as the narrator in their 2017 production of The Bear and the Piano.

The cathedral and Carrot Productions also invite the audience after the performance to meet the musicians if they so wish to have a chat, or just to admire their amazing instruments and costumes!

This magical visual and musical experience is sure to be a hit with anyone of any age, from grandchildren to grandparents, and is an event that should be enjoyed with all the family! There will be three performances on Saturday 6th December at 1:30pm, 3:30pm and 7:00pm, granting plenty of opportunity to snare the last few tickets! But be quick, they’re selling out fast! Adult tickets start from around £20 with concessions granted to under 18’s, and children below the age of 1 going free.

Image: Tina Fowler on Flickr