Christina Bennington, Cast and Creative Team Set For THE NECKLACE in Concert

Belfast Ensemble will present a new work ‘in concert' from acclaimed composer, Conor Mitchell exploring love and social ambition in fin de siècle Paris.

For one spectacular night only at Lyric Theatre, Belfast this Sunday 9 March, West End star Christina Bennington (Bat Out of Hell The Musical)  joins the internationally acclaimed ensemble for the World Premiere of The Necklace.

This a ravishing new musical from the Ivor Novello nominated composer is an adaptation of the famous Maupassant story La Parure, and interrogates the constructs of social climbing and class in a period of massive political change. Drawing a parallel with today's social media, fame and notoriety obsessions, this lushly orchestrated chamber musical charts the demise of one woman, the diamond necklace she loses and the society she wants to be seen in.

Presented with 24-piece orchestra, this concert premieres the work ahead of a 2026 production in Ireland and brings Mitchell's first love, symphonic musical theatre writing back to the fore.

With her big voice and even bigger stage presence, Christina Bennington has wowed audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. She notably originated the role of Raven in Bat Out of Hell The Musical with celebrated performances in London's West End, Toronto and New York. Her TV appearances include as Judy Collins in So Long Marianne and her ongoing role as Cortana in Halo.

Conor Mitchell of The Belfast Ensemble said: “This show has been waiting for its moment, and that moment is now. The rhapsodic lines and depth of harmony take a step forward from the world of Sondheim and Bernstein, building on that tradition of symphonic sound and drama. Big music! Belfast is fast becoming a place of musical invention and new ideas. This is a bold move, allowing audiences into the birth of a work. One that, I hope, reflects our world through the world of the past.”