Arts Rundown

When the snow fell back in March, a juicy Ulster Orchestra concert, pairing two mighty choral pieces, Bruckner’s Te Deum and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, had to be cancelled. The good news is it’s on again, on Saturday June 22. The Ulster Orchestra, despite uncertainties over its long-term funding and future, is playing well at present, and you can expect American conductor David Stern (who’ll be jetting in, and praying for better weather this time) to whip up the necessary levels of excitement. Add the magnificent Ulster Hall acoustic, and the excellent Belfast Philharmonic choir, and you have the makings of a memorable concert. ulsterorchestra.com

The distinguished Irish pianist John O’Conor brings more Beethoven to the Ulster Hall the previous day, Friday June 22. This is one of the BBC’s excellent invitation concerts, for which tickets are available free on the corporation’s website (bbc.co.uk/showsandtours). The key work in O’Conor’s recital is the A flat Sonata, Op. 110, a late work reaching levels of sublimity rare even in Beethoven. The popular “Pathéthique” Sonata and the Op. 126 Bagatelles complete what should be an absorbing hour of top-class pianism. In the same invitation series, the June 19 concert by rising Norwegian pianist Christian Ihle Hadland (Bach, Bartok etc.) is also well worth checking.

At the Lyric Theatre, try catching one of the last performances of Can’t Forget About You, a new comedy by David Ireland (former playwright-in-residence at the company), with Conleth Hill directing. Another comedy replaces it immediately, Belfast writer Marie Jones’s Weddins, Weeins and Wakes. The play divided opinion sharply when first staged over a decade ago. One critic saw “something subtle and fascinating” in it; another dubbed it “dire” and “awful”. So it’ll be interesting to see how Jones’s story, of an East Belfast family during a particularly eventful Twelfth of July celebration, plays out in this revival. An experienced cast includes Marty Maguire, Katie Tumelty and Marie Jones herself, with husband Ian McElhinney directing. 13 June - 7 July, lyrictheatre.co.uk

At the MAC, there’s a theatrical event with a difference. Katie, Don’t Go focuses on a Mayo girl who left her family a hundred years ago to train as a seamstress in Belfast. Her story’s traced in an interactive theatre installation by writer Lisa Keogh and sonic artist Conor Barr, using photos from the period. Two people at a time can access the installation, so booking (tickets are free) is essential via the MAC’s website. 14-13 June.

The MAC also hosts its 2013 Pick ‘n’ Mix Festival over the weekend of 14-16 June. Among the bite-sized samples of work-in-progress by local arts practitioners are rehearsed readings of new plays by Lucy Caldwell and David Ireland, a performance of Enda Walsh’s teenage internet comedy Chatroom, and TheatreofplucK’s presentation of Tuesday at Tesco, the Irish premiere of Emmanuel Darley’s French hit Le Mardi à Monoprix, about Pauline, a loving daughter, carer and transvestite. Tickets are £6 a show, or six shows for £30. Get booking! themaclive.com