18th May 2026
The afternoon of Sunday 17th May saw the Bardi Symphony Orchestra end their 2025/26 season at De Montfort Hall with a spectacular concert of West End blockbusters.
A large audience of over a thousand attended and heard many of their favourite songs and music from the Golden Age musicals through to the more contemporary shows vividly brought to life.
The full symphony orchestra was joined on stage by West End superstars soprano Shona Lindsay and baritone Stephen John Davis making a welcome return to the Bardi and Maestro Ben Crick, with the orchestra for the first time, keeping everything under control throughout. Ben also compèred the concert entertaining the enthusiastic audience with his infectious sense of humour and anecdotes about the songs and comments about Shona’s many costume changes!
The concert showcased the talents of both singers well with standards from Shona including Don’t Cry for Me Argentina from Evita, Memory from Cats and The Winner Takes it All from Mamma Mia. Her animated rendition of Defying Gravity from the smash hit Wicked was a real favourite with the younger members of the audience! Not to be out done, Stephen’s classics included I Won’t Send Roses from Mack & Mabel, and a fantastic show-stopping performance of You’ll Be Back from Hamilton with the audience singing along to the chorus. The Golden Age was represented by Shona and Stephen singing classic songs from My Fair Lady and the wonderful Balcony Scene duet from West Side Story.
The second half saw the soloists in three numbers from The Phantom of the Opera with the De Montfort Hall organ sounding suitably loud and menacing for the title song. The organ was played by talented Bardi Young Musician, Easher Austin. Stephen’s rendition of Music of the Night and Shona’s of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again were sublime and brought to the De Montfort stage two singers who have played the Phantom and Christine in the actual show!
The Orchestra was on top form throughout accompanying the soloists but had time to show off on their own in the Overture to Beauty and the Beast, Send in the Clowns and a suite from The Greatest Showman.
The concert drew to a stirring close with three numbers from Les Misérables; Stars from Stephen, I Dreamed a Dream from Shona and the grand finale Do You Hear the People Sing? from both. With a standing ovation the soloists returned to the delight of the audience to sing Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better from Annie Get Your Gun.
A memorable afternoon to finish a brilliant season of music making and a concert to remember!
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