THE Scarborough Spa Orchestra has unveiled Thursday Gala Nights for the forthcoming 2015 summer season.

Often referred to as the Jewel in Scarborough’s Crown, the Spa Orchestra is the only professional orchestra in the UK, and probably in the world, to play music from light classics and opera right through to songs from current West End shows – and pretty well every other style of music in between.

To prove the point, the orchestra has announced details of their Thursday night gala concerts which are designed to suit many musical tastes.

The annual New Year concert of music from the Johann Strauss family draws a full house every year, so a summer season version of the show will be popular with many. But others may prefer A Night in the West End which will feature songs by Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber and a great finale from Les Miserables.

If an evening of favourite, well-known opera songs doesn’t appeal, then perhaps Frank Sinatra classics will attract attention in an evening to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Ol’ Blue Eyes. The big crowd-pullers each summer are the evenings devoted to the songs of Ivor Novello and the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan, both performed by the top artistes in the country.

Just for fun, a musical quiz night has proved to be very popular, and this year sees the return to the stage of musical director Paul Laidlaw and his colleague, Stephen Walker, in an evening simply labelled Funny Business.

Other Thursday galas will feature the Spa Orchestra members themselves as they take their audiences round the world in music, or to a night out at the movies, or through a breath-taking evening of orchestral showstoppers.

Building on the success of previous years, the orchestra will be proud to be joined towards the end of the season by talented young musicians from the Scarborough area.

These budding musical stars of the future swell the great sound of the professional players to create one of the thrilling climaxes of the summer.

All this and three more evening concerts and five morning performances each week make a summer of entertaining light music.

This year’s Scarborough Spa Orchestra season runs from June 4 to September 17.

Mr Laidlaw said: “It’s both a privilege and a great pleasure to be able to present a summer of music at the magnificent Spa.

“The tunes we play are timeless so people never tire of them. I look forward to welcoming people during our 15 weeks of great musical entertainment.”

Book tickets at scarboroughspa.co.uk or via The Spa box office on 01723 821888.