Arts

Hull 'honoured' to host top opera singer

World-famous bass-baritone singer Sir Willard White is to perform at Hull City Hall on October 19.
The Jamaican-born artist - who has sung with great acclaim at opera houses in New York, London, Berlin, Madrid, and Paris - will launch a new season of shows by Hull Choral Union.
Known for his enormous, rich voice and powerful stage presence, Sir Willard is expected to perform a mix of works from opera, stage shows and African-American spirituals.
His presence at the Gala Evening will have special resonance this year, as the city counts down to the bicentenary of William Wilberforce and the abolition of the slave trade.
Richard Wilberforce, a direct descendant of William Wilberforce, will be the guest of honour.
And Sir Willard himself will be invited to pay tribute to Wilberforce and Hull's role in banning the transatlantic slave trade.
Sheila Goring, general secretary and chorus member of Hull Choral Union, said: "We're honoured to have Sir Willard performing for the first time in Hull at our Gala Evening. We wanted a big name to launch our season, and we were delighted when he accepted our invitation to come along.
"It is by sheer coincidence that Sir Willard's performance comes when Hull is counting down to the Wilberforce 2007 commemorations. To mark this we will contact Sir Willard in advance of the show to give him the opportunity of paying tribute to William Wilberforce on the night. It'll be interesting to see what he decides to do.
"Black slaves used to ask for a Moses figure, someone who would lead them to freedom in the way Moses did by taking Israel out of slavery in Egypt. In many ways, William Wilberforce is a Moses-like figure.
"It promises to be a great season, starting with Sir Willard and building up to a great climax next spring."
The Hull Choral Union's season features four performances in total. It includes two shows on December 13 and 20, which are Handel's Messiah and the annual Carol Concert (respectively). The finale - Handel's "Israel in Egypt" - will be performed on March 24 next year.

All performances start at 7.30pm and tickets range between £5 and £10.
For tickets, call Hull City Hall on 226655. Advance booking is recommended.

Memories of Hull

The Wilberforce statue at Monument Bridge, before it was moved to Hull College.

Nostalgic images of Hull at war, shopping and nightlife in the 1960s, to lost workplaces, fire boats, abattoirs and the horse wash at Victoria Pier, will bring Hull's past to life in a new exhibition.
Visitors to 'Overheard' will see how the city centre has changed over the years through historic film footage, old photographs, recorded sounds and personal diary entries.
Three Hull-based artists - Jo Millett, Bob Levene, and Audrey Okyere-Fosu - have got together with the Resound Community Partnership to stage the exhibition at Hull's new architecture centre, called 'arc', in Blanket Row, off Queen Street.
It is the next stage in the Hull Soundwalks project, which this summer enabled hundreds of people to go on audio walking tours through Hull city centre.
Overheard runs from 12 noon to 5.30pm daily (except Sundays), from Friday October 20 to Monday October 30. Admission is free.