Spectacular Sheffield show Queen Symphonic features orchestra, rock band and singers

Queen Symphonic: A Rock Orchestra Experience celebrates the greatest hits of Queen, including Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are the Champions, Crazy Little Thing Called Love and We Will Rock You.

The show includes full symphonic arrangements of the songs and has been performed to sell-out audiences globally with leading orchestras including Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra and resident City Hall orchestra The Halle.

A Queen Symphonic concert was also recorded for a BBC Radio 2 Friday Night Is Music Night special, live from the London Coliseum.

The show at Sheffield City Hall on February 18 features the Sheffield-based Hallam Sinfonia Orchestra.

One of the lead performers is West End leading lady Jenna-Lee James.

She is currently on tour with Strictly Come Dancing star Brendon Cole and has just finished a world tour with Hollywood star Hugh Jackman.

Parky centre stage

Jenna has played the part of Scaramouche in the West End version of the hit Queen musical We Will Rock You.

The singer became the only person in the world to have played all three female leading roles when she toured as Killer Queen in the show’s 10th anniversary world arena tour.

She created the roles of Becky McDonald in Street of Dreams – The Coronation Street Years at the MEN Arena, Manchester and June Child in Twentieth Century Boy.

Her other roles include The Narrator in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, (Adelphi Theatre) Lorraine in the Boogie Nights UK tour, principal singer in Money, Money, Money, the Real Abba Story, Maisie in The Boyfriend in Glasgow and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz in that city.

Jenna also toured the UK production of the Rod Stewart musical Tonight’s the Night.

Her fellow performers have also appeared on stage in We Will Rock You.

The music of Queen has had the classical treatment before, of course.

The London Symphony Orchestra had a big hit with their Classic Rock series of albums and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen was the opening track of the first album.

The song was originally written by the band’s iconic lead singer Freddie Mercury as a six-minute piece for the band’s 1975 album, A Night at the Opera, and was suitably operatic.

After this show, the Hallam Sinfonia will be turning their minds back to their spring concert, Sunset Sailboats, which takes place on March 21 at High Storrs School.

They will be performing Benjamin Britten's popular depictions of the Suffolk coastline in the Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes.

Also on the programme are Beethoven’s Romance in F Major and Brahms’ Fourth Symphony.

The concert will feature the orchestra’s new guest conductor, John Malaxetxebarria.

Jon works regularly with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra in his native Spain, as well as a range of Spanish and British orchestras.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £10 for adults and £2 for under-25s, plus booking fee, either on the door or from eventbrite.co.uk