Sir John Barbirolli, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

A low-angle night shot of the bronze statue of Sir John Barbirolli outside the Bridgewater Hall on Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, converted to monochrome. The camera looks up from below the statue, placing Barbirolli against the curved glass facade of the Hall behind him.

The extreme contrast between lit highlights and deep shadow across the bronze surface suits the black and white treatment. Barbirolli conducted the Hallé Orchestra from 1943 until his death in 1970 and is inseparable from Manchester's musical identity. The statue was installed when the Bridgewater Hall opened in 1996.